Norplant suits thrown out by federal judge
A federal judge in Texas has put an end to five product liability lawsuits brought against Wyeth-Ayerst, the maker of the contraceptive Norplant in Westport, CT.
U.S. District Court Judge Richard Schell says physicians and patients were adequately informed of Norplant’s side effects, refuting the main claim of 168 separate federal lawsuits that were consolidated into five lawsuits.
Other Norplant product liability litigation still is pending in state courts, but Schell’s ruling effectively ends federal attempts to recover damages for what patients allege are injuries from insertion and removal of the long-term contraceptive, as well as side effects from use of the medication. t
Jeannie Sedwick named Risk Manager of the Year
Jeannie Sedwick, ARM, has been awarded a place on the 1997 Risk Manager of the Year Honor Roll, as selected by a panel of independent judges for Business Insurance magazine. Sedwick is a member of the Healthcare Risk Management editorial board and is director of risk management at Wake Medical Center in Raleigh, NC. She was honored for her efforts to develop a superior risk management program at a non-profit organization. t
Misused funds could result in $2.5 million suit
U.S. Attorney James Burns is pursuing $2.5 million in damages from the University of Chicago and former medical professor George L. Wied, MD, accusing them of misusing federal funds intended for cancer research. The funds in question totalled $850,539 from the National Institutes of Health. The federal government contends the funds were used fraudulently for salaries, phone charges, and similar administrative expenses. University officials said they have acted in good faith to investigate possible misuse and make amends, but the government has gone too far in seeking such large damages.
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