Huge Merck/Vioxx Verdict is John Edwards' Fault
Reported by Melanie - August 19, 2005
Fox aired five segments on Your World today (August 19, 2005) about the $253 million verdict rendered this afternoon in a lawsuit brought against Merck for a death caused by Vioxx. An interaction between substitute host Terry Keenan and frequent guests, Tobin Smith and Tom Adkins, hints at the tone.
Here's how it went.
Smith: "I guess the message is, let's all, you know, become trial lawyers. Where's the big money? The big money's in going after this. I just think there's a message economically Terry. This says, you know, separate the drug issues from the, maybe the way they advertise to doctors, but $240 million! The guy had 70% blockage of his heart! I don't think you have to have a Ph.D. to figure out there's another agenda here."
Keenan: "Is this a crazy way to run our economy, Tom? I mean, the drug industry is arguably our most successful industry, our most successful exporter. We let the Chinese copy our drugs and then we sue and put our own companies out of business."
Adkins: "Look, I want to follow up on what Toby said. I have two words for anybody who wants to understand this. John Edwards. He's a guy who sued every OB/GYN out of his town, and sued almost all of them out of his state. Pat [Patricia Powell, another guest] had a great point in the green room. She said, yeah, and they finally got rid of him by voting him to the Senate. He caused more economic havoc and personal havoc in people's lives."
Comment: I kinda think these remarks stand on their own and don't need a comment.
UPDATE: January 28, 2006. We learned today that Tom Adkins should now be known as Mr. Brenda Buttner. Buttner is Fox's "Senior Business Correspondent" and she and Adkins are married.
