Monthly Archives: March 2012

Multaq Drug Manufacturer Quietly Backs Out of Development of Oral Version

Posted on March 30, 2012 by McGowan, Hood & Felder, LLC

Pharmaceutical giant Merck & Co. has backed out of its partnership with Canadian company Cardiome Pharma Corp. from their dual development of an oral version of vernakalant, a drug used to treat chronic atrial fibrillation. Merck had felt some heat from the FDA and patient advocacy groups for the risks posed by its existing atrial fibrillation drug, sold under the trade name Multaq. Last December, the FDA revised the label for Multaq to reflect warnings for some patients with irregular heart rhythms. In clinical trials, Multaq was shown to increase the risks of serious cardiovascular events such as heart attack, stroke and death. Multaq was only approved by the FDA two years ago, so the public is only beginning to understand the potentially dangerous repercussions of this alleged defective drug. Merck did not say whether the backlash against Multaq has anything to do with its pulling support for the oral…
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Legislature Fails to Compensate Victims of Train Derailment

Posted on March 28, 2012 by McGowan, Hood & Felder, LLC

On Monday, our blog discussed the terrible consequences of tort reform legislation for the individuals and families who suffered injuries and wrongful death when a miniature train derailed in the city of Spartanburg. Tort reform limited the collective damages to $600,000, despite the fact that the derailment killed 6-year-old Benji Easler. His family and the 27 other victims must split this award even though their collective medical bills are millions of dollars, and the Easler family’s grief is immeasurable. Some people may feel that we need to protect the city of Spartanburg for this “accident,” but the more one looks at the facts of the case, it is clear that this “accident” was the result of serious negligence by state inspectors and train operators. It was revealed in the aftermath of the wreck that a state inspector falsified the train’s inspection report and the ride was untested prior to the…
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Another Example of the Injustice of Tort Reform in South Carolina

Posted on March 26, 2012 by McGowan, Hood & Felder, LLC

The South Carolina legislature recently passed “Benji’s Law,” regulating the top speeds of miniature train rides. This was a response to a tragedy in the city of Spartanburg, where a miniature train ride in Cleveland Park derailed and killed 6-year-old Benji Easler and injured 27 more people. The legislature has so far failed to change an even bigger injustice: our tort reform laws, which capped personal injury damage awards against government entities to $600,000, to be divided between all 28 victims. Our blog has previously discussed the grave injustice of tort reform laws, and this is yet another example. How can 28 injured individuals and families, including the grieving family of Benji Easler, be sufficiently compensated for medical bills, pain and suffering, lost wages and wrongful death by only $600,000? They cannot. Not only is this an injustice to these people who do not even get compensated for their out-of-pocket…
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