President Bush went to Illinios Wednesday to show his support for a medical malpractice bill that he claims will curb some of the high costs of health care in America and improve the quality of care. But what he didn’t tell the American public is how the same bill would prevent consumers from seeking punitive damages from the makers of defective drugs like Vioxx, Celebrex and Bextra, three popular arthritis drugs recently linked to increased risks of heart attacks and strokes.
The bill grants liability protections not only for malpracticing doctors, but also hosipitals, HMOs, nursing homes and manufacturers of medical devices and pharmaceutical companies such as Merck & Co., the maker of Vioxx, and Pfizer, the maker of Celebrex and Bextra. It includes a $250,000 cap on non-economic damages if the malpractice bill becomes law.
Merck pulled Vioxx from the market on September 30, 2004 after a study confirmed that increases a patients’ risk of heart attacks and strokes after 18-months of use.
In a press release yesterday, Todd A. Smith, president of the Association of Trial Lawyers of America, said, “President Bush unashamedly advocates legislation that would protect insurance industry profits and prohibit any punishment for the makers of dangerous drugs like Vioxx, while penalizing your mother for being abused in a nursing home or your daughter for having her baby killed by medical malpractice.”
Smith added: President Bush’s “plan fails to do anything about the 99 percent of health care costs that are really out of control-escalating drug costs, which account for 11 percent, outrageous hospital bills, and record insurance profits that increased 1,000 percent last year.”.
(via The White House)












3 responses so far ↓
Terry Walker BBA // Jan 6, 2005 at 10:33 am
Is this to protect against all those doctors that continued their patients on an SSRI; even though the patient developed serotonin syndrome right away leaving them with neoplasms of the brain; i.e. progressive mental status drop, progressive tartive dystonia (akathisia), and lable blood pressure (yes heart problems too). A doctor had me on paxil for 1 year (induced dependency-addiction). Paxil has done this to a cousin, an aunt, a nephew, 2 sisters and myself–there are people whom can not metabolize 25% of the drugs on the market–paxil severely damages the pineal gland in our thyroid.
I believed I was taking a vitamin pill the whole time I was taking paxil; I have neoplasms of the brain (brain cancer, central nervous system cancer as does these other members of my family). The Ontario Social Services does nothing yet I have repeatedly brought it to their attention via my member of parlament Mr. Smitherman; the deputy minister whom I have not been able to come in contact with since trying from my disability date thich is November 10, 2002 per Canada Pension Legeslation.
Anti-depressant withdrawal syndrome is truly brain cancer.
Yours truly,
Terry Walker BBA, Certificate in computer studies, (NASD series 6-expired)
V M // Mar 24, 2005 at 12:38 am
I developed Liver damage after taking antidepresant med. The problem was first of all getting my records from my doctor. All my medication was usually given by samples. It is my view that finding an attorney trustworthy to help is step two, and then comes the hurdle of the millions available to these individuals for defense. Meanwhile, I could have died a couple of years back, and now I have problems I live with every day. I believe if the gov is now assisting the medical communities to fear no big loss, how many people will die at their hands simply because they have big daddy there to protect if need be. I thought we the people were the gov. What happened? I found a link between Medical community, government, and social public services. Now I know we depend upon our community for survival. If my doctor would just hold to their ethical standards, most people will not try and sue a person they trust and believe looks out for them. I think Bush should have stayed out of it. This is why we have a jury or a judge to decide. Protecting industry over the citizens they are sworn to protect….humm, well we don’t need movies to show us a glimps of what tomorrow is to bring.
Terry Walker // Oct 19, 2005 at 8:41 am
September 22, 2005
Ministry of Community and Social Services
Ontario
385 Yonge St. - 2nd Floor
Toronto ON M5A 2N2
re: file #207248717
ODSO
Dear: Marilyn Renwick
Your letter telling me I had to respond by Sept. 13, 2005 was received Tuesday Sept. 13 2005; I found it in my mail box approx. 4:30 pm. Postal stamp date on the envelope is Sept. 9, 2005.
My legal council David Dansereau has informed me I must take further action in establishing the correct application date with your agent of choice in distribution of ODSP applications Karen Smith (in my case), Ontario Works, Ministry of Community and Social Services, so I will copy her in and expect the Ministry of Community and Social Services to correct the application date to match that of the Canada Pension Disability application date.
The organic nature of the anxiety, pain and attention difficulties which have now been established as neoplasm’s of the brain (frontal temporal lobe disorder, which is the reason for personality change, onset has been establish by the CPSO as July 2001 same time as commencing paxil).
I have presented enough evidence to the Ministry of Community and Social Services that the application date should match the Canada Pension Disability Application Date- Your agent Karen Smith of Ontario Works did not supply me with the application telling me there were no other forms for disability n.b. I gave her a copy of the Canada pension disability application. My legal council gave me letter for both Karen Smith and Dr. Mavrogiannis, Karen Smith was handling the disability in conjunction with Dr. Mavrogiannis.
2) There is a collusive effort among various Doctors to cover up the Pandemic of NMS (neoplasms of the brain); amongst members of my family there is a Celtic and/or Celtic/native North American Indian (i.e. cognawaga PQ) heritage. I was admitted to Baycrest with the understanding that they were to determine how to stop the paralysis from spreading through my body as well as determining what was causing the cognitive deterioration I was experiencing. Baycrest determined that paxil had caused bi-polar disorder and asked me to take anti seizure medication valproic acid as it was known to counter the effects of paxil I declined.
John Dorne (deceased) a co-worker and spouse to Ilene Page good friend of mine also a co-worker we were all employees of Manulife Financial. John Dorne and I experience all the same adverse reactions only he was told his was fibromyalgia but he told me that he had also been identified as having neoplasms of the brain. He took the recommended seizure medication and is now dead from unknown causes.
Dr. Lambert of St. Michael’s Hospital continually refused to provide me with results of tests 1) brain MRI 2)hyperthyroidism now known to be hypothyroidism 3)neoplasm’s of the brain; the doctor who orders the test must give you the results so I have obtained most reports.
1) Letter Dr. Tugg to Dr. Lambert
February 19, 2003
“We are concerned that there may be an organic basis to his personality change”! Why was this withheld from me?
The last thing Dr. Phillip Lee my neurologist at Baycrest said to me, “its time people stopped screwing you around”, the good news is that we now know it is organic so you will get your disability; we went through the process of what was happening in my body T signallers not being able to send messages correctly to 5ht receptors in the CNS because resulting in loss of use of limbs along with pain and cognitive deterioration. n.b. I have not been able to do my own income taxes since starting paxil.
2) Nov 28, 2002 medical records Dr. Weisdorf
“Mr. Walker has signed letter of discharge from my care as per recommendation of CMPA and as per protocol of CPSO.”
3) “T/C on Dec 11/o2 Dr. Cornet “Mr. Walker stated on his form that the reason he is applying for medical disability is his L hand nerve pain and numbness n.
Tartive Dyskinesia known side effect of SSRIs twice billed as Glaucoma by Dr. Weisdorf, Idiopathic Perpheral Neuritis is what the November 18, 2002 record has been corrected to read. The April 4, 2002 record was only removed and recorded by OHIP billing as incorrect data submitted on claim. Since being abandoned by the doctors of St. Michael’s hospital I have tried to obtain records of missing session which were with Dr. Weisdorf and resident doctor Dr. Handford 2 session in Oct 2001 and 1 in Jan 2002 Dr. Weisdorf denies these sessions took place. She claims she increased paxil to from 20 to 30 per day August 07, 2001 and then did not see me until Feb 12, 2002 where she increased paxil to 50 mg per day; the manufactures of SSRI tells doctors to monitor patients closely on dosage changes.
In the November 28, 2002 meeting with Dr. Weisdorf’s supervisor Dr. Phillip Berger whom I have found out is in hiding from a friend who is a Junior Deputy Minister for the federal government as well as a colege from one the choirs I sing in whom is a federal government employee, these 3 missing session were discussed in detail Dr. Weisdorf and Dr. Berger whispered something back and forth to each other my mother Dorothy Mackay and Denise Abramovitz of St. Michael’s patient affairs was also present.
4) March 24, 2004
extract form letter sent to CPSO’s expert witness from Marissa Amoroso of CPSO.
Marissa Amoroso description of me.
“Mr. Walker who presented with a serious personality disorder, anxiety and previous significant benzodiazepine and alcohol abuse”
My medical records prove I have never been a regular user of any drug, Dr. Weisdorf thought Paxil was a vitamin pill safe enough for children, I believed her! I was there to get a letter to take a leave of absence from work, nothing else I rarely use my drug card as the Ministry of Community and Social Services is quite aware. I am allergic to aspirin which means I should not be prescribed NSAIDs also, we were told my father died of MSRA; I saw him before he died he had been given something he was allergic to my father never took pills because of our allergy to ASA causing us not to be able to breath. Who is Dr. Michael Szul, Medical Advisor? I trust there will be disciplinary action taken against these people for this malicious slander.
5) copy of my resume from back in 2002, currently I am a concert vocalist:
Rainbow Voices of Toronto Sept. 2002 to current
Forte the Toronto Men’s Chorus Jan/03 to June/03
East York Barbershoppers Jan/05 current
Metropolitan Community Church of Toronto Sept/05
I perform in concerts and stage shows razing money for various charities. This is one of the things a person with a frontal temporal lobe disorder can do because of limitation from dementia. I found out that the people in my family with the most severe damage are RH B + blood type I called the GP I had been seeing whom also suddenly disappeared he just said I am no longer your physician please don’t call that was October 31, 2004.
April 19, 2005
YMCA-Body Composition Profile-prepared on joining
Everything is about where it should be for a person of my age.
People whom have consumption of alcohol as part of their life style would probably benefit from my example, per medical record approximately 1 bottle of wine daily this is on a per capita basis (n.b. 4-6 days a week not every day nor at the same time only as desired i.e. with meals or for medicinal purposes medical records show low or normal blood pressure except while on PAXIL. I have lost 10 pounds and try to swim everyday for 1/2 hour at the YMCA or John Innes pool.
September 30, 2004 Nature of things PAXIL has the highest number of complaints of any drug ever.
The expert witness for the CPSO is only an expert witness in covering up facts; the knowledge I have gained since discontinuing paxil trying to find out a cure for the horrible neurological (brain disorder). I can expose this individual where ever they have been used as witness before. Everyone concerned needs to view this program. This holocaust must stop.
Jan 30, 2003
n.b. You do not give a person with dementia a phone # and tell them to make arrangement. They can’t!
February 12, 2003
“The college cannot force a physician or hospital to continue with your care”
My medical file per Dr. Weisdorf
“Mr. Walker was given signed letter of discharge from my care as per recommendation of CMPA and as per Protocol of CPSO”
I read this as CMPA and CPSO telling Dr. Weisdorf to abandon me as a patient therefore it is the responsibility of the CMPA and CPSO that members of my family get the most up to date medical care in dealing with this horrible neurological (brain) disorder.
June 9, 2003
“Furthermore you have stated in previous telephone messages to the college that it is the “onus” of the college to locate a physician for you.
My file should be at the forefront of the committee investigating the college as to its representation of the public in dealing with medical mal practice. From her letters I would think Kristina V. Alverarez intake does not even understand the CPSO is there to protect the public against medical malpractice.
It is quite clear to me that Doctors are using the OHIP billing system for professional deceit; I requested information on what audit trail was in place to prevent this deceit, (n.b. every time I present my health card there should have been an audit trail). OHIP only said they process what they receive. I have been a systems reconciliation analyst most of my working career. We have a big problem here.
I trust ODSP sees why I now feel they are also part of the cover up. To receive a letter on September 13, 2005 telling me the response is due by September 13, 2005. This is not the first time.
My sisters now take large amounts of what is dubbed hillbilly heroin (oxycontin), my nephew Shawn Walker who was put on Ritalin as a child is still taking psychiatric medication as his Doctor has no idea how to treat this horrible brain disorder my Aunt Marion Walker Coyle nearly died from citalopram celexa, also lost motor skill from Paxil, I managed to get her into the hospital in time her 2 daughter are now disabled one from PAXIL the other from Effexor my sister in law Penny Brooks effexor (deserted by her Doctor); her Daughter Kara Robinson (daughter has been taken away from her); Lynn Walker’s children Sheena Walker Attention Deficit Disorder Ritalin her brother Jashaua Walker Attention Deficit Disorder Ritalin. I am the only one who did not take further medication, and am the only one whom has adapted and made a new life with the section of my brain that remain undamaged I swim for a half hour everyday it help to keep the spread of NMS in control.
I have done everything I was asked to do by doctors and government alike the way I have been treated would probably cause the average person to commit suicide. To suddenly be unable to do all the things you had done to earn a living, and be deserted by the medical establishment along with being maliciously slandered. I trust there will be a committee set up to deal with this holocaust. Or is this a population control method as many seniors I have met believe, I sincerely do not want to believe that.
My job was setting application date, effective dates and trade date for major corporations in mutual fund trades, negligence is clearly not mine, and I always do my best at what I do. I was raised and live by the protestant ethic you work hard you play hard.
We need help not malicious slander, I am proud of my accomplishment in my life.
Yours truly,
Terry Lawrence Walker, BBA, Certificate in computer studies
Cc. Karen Smith, Ontario Works, Ministry of Community and Social Services
Ilene Page, spouse to John Dorne (deceased)
Kevin and Liza Breakfast TV, City TV
Mark Grudzien, Senior Manager Business operation and Claims Ministry of Health and Long Term Care
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