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National Organization
of Women, Gray Panthers, and
Stop Patient Abuse Now to Take Action Against Pharmaceutical Market
Abuses |
Brought to you by
Mary J.
Shomon
PRESS RELEASE SOURCE:
Stop Patient Abuse Now
 WASHINGTON,
May 14 -- The Stop Patient Abuse Now coalition today announced that it will
organize consumer and patient groups across the country to initiate a series
of class action lawsuits against pharmaceutical companies that prevent
competition and endanger public health. The strategy is intended to raise
the financial stakes for drug manufacturers that engage in anti-competitive
or anti-consumer behavior in order to avoid competition.
The National Organization for Women (NOW) announced that it will lead the
latest class action suit against Bristol-Myers Squibb for tactics it used to
prevent patient access to lower-priced versions of Taxol, a treatment for
breast and ovarian cancer. A federal court ruled in March of last year that
the tactics included ``an intent to deceive'' the government.
"Congress is letting pharmaceutical companies get away with abuse," stated
NOW President Patricia Ireland. `"Until congressional leaders take action,
we will hold corporations like Bristol-Myers Squibb accountable for their
unfair business practices."
SPAN members filed a similar suit against Bristol-Myers Squibb in April to
recover damages suffered when the company unlawfully prevented competition
for BuSpar (buspirone), an anti-anxiety drug. Bristol registered a new
patent for the drug with the FDA in order to trigger provisions of a federal
law that results in 30-month approval delays for competing generic products.
A federal court ordered Bristol to remove the patent this year.
"Consumers have no regulatory avenue for relief from market abuses by
pharmaceutical companies," stated Tim Fuller, SPAN founder and Executive
Director of the Gray Panthers. "It is time to take matters into our own
hands."
SPAN also announced that it is working with specific consumer groups across
the nation to prepare similar suits, including against:
-
AstraZeneca if it attempts to delay competition
for the ulcer medicine Prilosec. Patent protection for Prilosec expires in
October, though the company has indicated it may file new patents to
prevent competition beyond the original expiration date.
-
Abbott Laboratories if it refuses to remove its
Thyroid disease drug Synthroid from the market. The FDA issued a letter on
April 26 in which it stated that Synthroid "cannot be generally recognized
as safe and effective."
SPAN intends to work with state Attorneys General
and the Federal Trade Commission to identify marketplace abuses by
pharmaceutical manufacturers. It will then help aggrieved parties seek
treble damages where anti-competitive behavior by manufacturers can be
demonstrated.
"Consumers have no political influence in the pharmaceutical marketplace,''
according to Fuller. ``This strategy will shift the balance of power from
drug industry executives and their friends in Congress to the consumers who
need relief."
SPAN will establish a national registration process to enable consumers to
identify market abuses and sign up to be included in the lawsuits. It also
will begin regional meetings and seminars to educate consumer and patient
advocacy groups about pharmaceutical industry abuses, and to provide
outreach to potential plaintiffs. SPAN will host a national meeting this
summer to discuss the progress of the initiative and to inform members of
Congress and industry officials of recommendations for reform.
SPAN was founded by the Gray Panthers to improve consumer access to safe,
more affordable medicine.
NOTE: If you want to help out with the campaign against Synthroid, you can
join the Gray Panthers now, online!
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