Dozens of families who blame an epilepsy drug, Epilim, for causing birth defects in their children (see information on FACs) say they are devastated that legal aid to sue its maker has been withdrawn. So says a BBC report at:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-11707386What is important in this story is not just that no patient is safe taking ConMed drugs, but that drug companies don't admit that their drugs have done anything 'wrong', and, in the UK, the government does not enable families to take such matters to the courts. There is little justice.
So it would seem that UK patients have to be even more careful than those in the USA. In the USA, 'class actions' against drug companies are regularly passing through the legal system, so at least those who have suffered disease and death have some access to justice, and drug companies have been forced to pay many $billions in compensation for the suffering and distress they cause.
The families concerned have children that have suffered because Epilin by the mother during pregnancy. This has caused their children to be born with spina bifida, heart damage and learning difficulties. Their lives have been devastated by ConMed drugs.
And it would appear that in the UK the drug companies, the government, and the NHS are not prepared to take any responsibility.
