Las Vegas Hepatitis Outbreak Spurs Changes To Nevada Safe Injection Practices
In October, multi-national drug companies Teva and Baxter were ordered to pay hundreds of millions of dollars due to the fact they repeatedly recommended the use of reusable vials of the Propofol anesthetic. One individual, Michael Washington, who had received the drug through the use of reusable vials and eventually came down with hepatitis, was awarded $14 million.
It is estimated that nearly 300 lawsuits are pending stemming from the multi-use vials of Propofol sold and recommended by Israel-based Teva Pharmaceutical Industries and US based Baxter International. Of these 300 cases a number of verdicts have been announced. On October 10, three patients were awarded $162 million in punitive damages. The first case resulted in a verdict of $500 million. If you have been injured, sickened or a had a loved one killed due to bad drugs, please go to Bensonbingham.com and sign up for a free consultation.
The propofol reuse case caused significant alarm and changes throughout the Nevada Medical Community. In the 76th Legislative session, Senate Bill 419 was proposed by the Nevada Senate Health and Human Services Committee. The bill initially required all medical professionals to take a Safe Injection Practices Continuing Medical Education Course as part of renewing their Nevada medical license and even fined medical professionals failed to take the course within an allotted time. These provisions were eventually amended out of the bill, instead requiring medical professionals to attest they are familiar with safe injection practices. By signing that they attest they are aware of safe injection practices, Nevada physicians open themselves up legally should they not obey the practices. The bill passed the Senate and Nevada Assembly as amended and signed by Governor Brian Sandoval. The bill amended the Nevada Revised Statute Chapter 630.
If you have been exposed to prescription bad drugs by a Nevada physician, pharmacy or hospital or sickened by an over-the-counter purchase of bad drugs, Benson and Bingham, leading Las Vegas personal injury attorneys, would like to speak with you during a free legal consultation.