Drug companies hit with punitive damages
A jury has decided Teva Parenteral Medicines and Baxter Healthcare Corp. must pay a combined $500 million in punitive damages in a case involving a hepatitis C outbreak in Las Vegas.
The case, expected to be just the first of hundreds, alleged that the re-use of vials of the anesthetic propofol infected patients with the disease.
An attorney for former patient Henry Chanin said the vials provided by the companies were larger than necessary, while “drug company lawyers have maintained that the vials were marked with instructions and warnings, and medical professionals decided what sizes were appropriate.”
Related
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- KQED profiles those who live with disease, injury
- VA hospitals faulted for lax infection control
Comments
2 Comments on Drug companies hit with punitive damages
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The latest big, fat dose of FLU coverage – Croakey on
Thu, 13th May 2010 7:09 am
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Patients at risk after free public screening : Covering Health on
Fri, 14th May 2010 10:56 am
[...] have been downplaying concerns about the use of multi-use vials in vaccination, a US jury has reportedly decided a company must pay $US500 million damages in a case involving a hepatitis C outbreak in Las [...]
[...] news this week that two drug companies were hit with punitive damages after vials of the anesthetic propofol were re-used and infected patients with hepatitis C, The [...]
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