Comments on: Omniscan and GE Healthcare’s Sinister Libel Suit http://www.quackometer.net/blog/2010/02/omniscan-and-ge-healthcares-sinister-libel-suit.html Experiments and Thoughts on Quackery, Health Beliefs and Pseudoscience Thu, 09 Feb 2012 21:47:47 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: dee http://www.quackometer.net/blog/2010/02/omniscan-and-ge-healthcares-sinister-libel-suit.html#comment-16235 dee Fri, 18 Nov 2011 21:43:14 +0000 http://www.quackometer.net/blog/2010/02/omniscan-and-ge-healthcares-sinister-libel-suit.html#comment-16235 Is someone going to come up with a cure for this? Something needs to be done to help the people suffering unnecessary from neglect. Know any medical doctors or institution helping reply please? Is someone going to come up with a cure for this? Something needs to be done to help the people suffering unnecessary from neglect.
Know any medical doctors or institution helping reply please?

]]> By: thiruppathyraja http://www.quackometer.net/blog/2010/02/omniscan-and-ge-healthcares-sinister-libel-suit.html#comment-14857 thiruppathyraja Mon, 16 May 2011 06:26:52 +0000 http://www.quackometer.net/blog/2010/02/omniscan-and-ge-healthcares-sinister-libel-suit.html#comment-14857 What an exciting experience!/Hilarious! Delightful! True!/wonderful stuff! thank you! <a href="http://www.good-health-tips.com" rel="nofollow">Health care</a> What an exciting experience!/Hilarious! Delightful! True!/wonderful stuff! thank you!

Health care

]]> By: Dorothy http://www.quackometer.net/blog/2010/02/omniscan-and-ge-healthcares-sinister-libel-suit.html#comment-14120 Dorothy Wed, 19 Jan 2011 21:19:04 +0000 http://www.quackometer.net/blog/2010/02/omniscan-and-ge-healthcares-sinister-libel-suit.html#comment-14120 While the giant corporations move forward what happens to use that are affected by their unethical ways............. While the giant corporations move forward what happens to use that are affected by their unethical ways………….

]]> By: Dorothy http://www.quackometer.net/blog/2010/02/omniscan-and-ge-healthcares-sinister-libel-suit.html#comment-14119 Dorothy Wed, 19 Jan 2011 21:16:30 +0000 http://www.quackometer.net/blog/2010/02/omniscan-and-ge-healthcares-sinister-libel-suit.html#comment-14119 What other ill effects are they keeping from us!! What other ill effects are they keeping from us!!

]]> By: Dorothy Karros http://www.quackometer.net/blog/2010/02/omniscan-and-ge-healthcares-sinister-libel-suit.html#comment-14113 Dorothy Karros Tue, 18 Jan 2011 23:13:52 +0000 http://www.quackometer.net/blog/2010/02/omniscan-and-ge-healthcares-sinister-libel-suit.html#comment-14113 NFS has devastated my life. I can not find any medical relief or help in dealing with this god awful disease. My attorney wants me to settle for a small claim,I refuse because I do not know what the future holds for me in medical bills. I can no longer work, my husband has left me, I am grossly deformed,and I have lost everything my home and all. I am in constant pain everyday, my mobility has been limited and getting worse in my limbs. Who is going to help me? Since 2005 I have been suffering and now I hear through channels that GE is waiting for me to die so they don't have to pay a large settlement. Somebody help me please. NFS has devastated my life. I can not find any medical relief or help in dealing with this god awful disease. My attorney wants me to settle for a small claim,I refuse because I do not know what the future holds for me in medical bills. I can no longer work, my husband has left me, I am grossly deformed,and I have lost everything my home and all. I am in constant pain everyday, my mobility has been limited and getting worse in my limbs. Who is going to help me? Since 2005 I have been suffering and now I hear through channels that GE is waiting for me to die so they don’t have to pay a large settlement. Somebody help me please.

]]> By: BillyJoe http://www.quackometer.net/blog/2010/02/omniscan-and-ge-healthcares-sinister-libel-suit.html#comment-10052 BillyJoe Fri, 19 Feb 2010 20:03:52 +0000 http://www.quackometer.net/blog/2010/02/omniscan-and-ge-healthcares-sinister-libel-suit.html#comment-10052 "US DRUG FIRM DROPS LIBEL ACTION AGAINST SCIENTIST" In agreed statements released today: Thomsen said: "I stand by my publicly expressed opinion, based on my experience and research on published papers, that there is an association between the chemical formulation of gadolinium-based contrast agents and NSF." He added: "It was not my intention to suggest on the basis of the evidence then available to me that GE Healthcare had marketed Omniscan knowing that it might cause NSF." The company, a subsidiary of the giant US corporation General Electric, said it had not intended to "stifle academic debate" by suing Thomsen for libel, and accepted that his concerns were expressed in good faith: "GE Healthcare objected to statements made by Professor Thomsen which it interpreted as suggesting that it had known from the outset that Omniscan caused NSF." The company said it welcomed what it called a "principled debate" about safety issues. “US DRUG FIRM DROPS LIBEL ACTION AGAINST SCIENTIST”

In agreed statements released today:

Thomsen said:
“I stand by my publicly expressed opinion, based on my experience and research on published papers, that there is an association between the chemical formulation of gadolinium-based contrast agents and NSF.”

He added:
“It was not my intention to suggest on the basis of the evidence then available to me that GE Healthcare had marketed Omniscan knowing that it might cause NSF.”

The company, a subsidiary of the giant US corporation General Electric, said it had not intended to “stifle academic debate” by suing Thomsen for libel, and accepted that his concerns were expressed in good faith:

“GE Healthcare objected to statements made by Professor Thomsen which it interpreted as suggesting that it had known from the outset that Omniscan caused NSF.”

The company said it welcomed what it called a “principled debate” about safety issues.

]]> By: Jerome http://www.quackometer.net/blog/2010/02/omniscan-and-ge-healthcares-sinister-libel-suit.html#comment-10031 Jerome Thu, 18 Feb 2010 19:26:05 +0000 http://www.quackometer.net/blog/2010/02/omniscan-and-ge-healthcares-sinister-libel-suit.html#comment-10031 I noticed something in the Guardian article rather ironic that wasn't touched on above: Carter-Ruck handled Thomsen's defense. I realize they are just serving their clients, but in the wake of the huge attempt to squelch discussion regarding Trafigura, taking on a libel defense case pro bono is a bit surprising. I noticed something in the Guardian article rather ironic that wasn’t touched on above: Carter-Ruck handled Thomsen’s defense. I realize they are just serving their clients, but in the wake of the huge attempt to squelch discussion regarding Trafigura, taking on a libel defense case pro bono is a bit surprising.

]]> By: Rob http://www.quackometer.net/blog/2010/02/omniscan-and-ge-healthcares-sinister-libel-suit.html#comment-10018 Rob Thu, 18 Feb 2010 09:49:40 +0000 http://www.quackometer.net/blog/2010/02/omniscan-and-ge-healthcares-sinister-libel-suit.html#comment-10018 Updated. Have e-mailed Simon Singh - it's definitely on the 23rd. Updated. Have e-mailed Simon Singh – it’s definitely on the 23rd.

]]> By: Rob http://www.quackometer.net/blog/2010/02/omniscan-and-ge-healthcares-sinister-libel-suit.html#comment-10008 Rob Wed, 17 Feb 2010 14:33:04 +0000 http://www.quackometer.net/blog/2010/02/omniscan-and-ge-healthcares-sinister-libel-suit.html#comment-10008 <i>"very important Court of Appeal hearing on the 23rd of February where England’s two most senior appeal judges, the Lord Chief Justice and the Master of the Rolls, will be looking at the Simon Singh case"</i> 23rd? I thought it was on the 22nd? I'm planning on going to see what happens but don't want to turn up on the wrong day; that would be embarassing. “very important Court of Appeal hearing on the 23rd of February where England’s two most senior appeal judges, the Lord Chief Justice and the Master of the Rolls, will be looking at the Simon Singh case”

23rd? I thought it was on the 22nd? I’m planning on going to see what happens but don’t want to turn up on the wrong day; that would be embarassing.

]]> By: JCmacc http://www.quackometer.net/blog/2010/02/omniscan-and-ge-healthcares-sinister-libel-suit.html#comment-10004 JCmacc Wed, 17 Feb 2010 13:36:37 +0000 http://www.quackometer.net/blog/2010/02/omniscan-and-ge-healthcares-sinister-libel-suit.html#comment-10004 "It is quite possible for Thomson to be involved with contrast agent development and there to be a serious issue with the safety of gadolinium based agents." This proper use of a plural ("agents") cuts to the chase - if there's one real issue with Thomson's original presentation linked to in the blog post, it's that Thomson singles out one agent as being a serious problem: he's not overly explicit that the drug class itself has potential problems in renally impaired patients. The fact this is a drug class effect not an idiosyncratic issue with one agent is something recognised by the FDA given their evidence base in their updates fact sheet (Feb 2010). Could be that this aspect is what GE are bothered about. The presentation and cover note could easily be read that they are knowingly pushing a uniquely dangerous agent where in reality this is a much broader issue across a scientific area involving many agents, companies and regulators. The fact Thomson has a financial conflict of interest in discussion of contrast agents not mentioned in his presentation has potential parallels to Wakefield casting doubt on MMR safety while holding undisclosed patents for an alternative vaccine. Thomson's financial interest started in 2000 according to the CMC contrast company website, so it should have been included in his 2006 talk. While there's lots of science and evidence to wade through, this may be more complicated than a straightforward "whistleblower" story. “It is quite possible for Thomson to be involved with contrast agent development and there to be a serious issue with the safety of gadolinium based agents.”

This proper use of a plural (“agents”) cuts to the chase – if there’s one real issue with Thomson’s original presentation linked to in the blog post, it’s that Thomson singles out one agent as being a serious problem: he’s not overly explicit that the drug class itself has potential problems in renally impaired patients. The fact this is a drug class effect not an idiosyncratic issue with one agent is something recognised by the FDA given their evidence base in their updates fact sheet (Feb 2010).

Could be that this aspect is what GE are bothered about. The presentation and cover note could easily be read that they are knowingly pushing a uniquely dangerous agent where in reality this is a much broader issue across a scientific area involving many agents, companies and regulators.

The fact Thomson has a financial conflict of interest in discussion of contrast agents not mentioned in his presentation has potential parallels to Wakefield casting doubt on MMR safety while holding undisclosed patents for an alternative vaccine. Thomson’s financial interest started in 2000 according to the CMC contrast company website, so it should have been included in his 2006 talk.

While there’s lots of science and evidence to wade through, this may be more complicated than a straightforward “whistleblower” story.

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