{"id":167415,"date":"2010-01-11T17:09:50","date_gmt":"2010-01-11T22:09:50","guid":{"rendered":"tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d8341c89dd53ef012876c76196970c"},"modified":"2010-01-12T17:28:58","modified_gmt":"2010-01-12T22:28:58","slug":"ge-healthcare-seemingly-tries-to-intimidate-and-silence-a-critic-of-its-omniscan-product","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mereja.media\/index\/167415","title":{"rendered":"GE Healthcare Seemingly Tries To Intimidate And Silence A Critic Of Its Omniscan Product"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Drug Company Files Libel Lawsuit In UK Against Prominent Danish Radiologist Henrik Thomsen<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

(Posted by Tom Lamb at DrugInjuryWatch.com<\/strong><\/font><\/span><\/a>)<\/strong><\/font><\/strong><\/font><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The Sunday Times<\/em> (UK)<\/a>\u00a0recently ran a story that demonstrates how Britain’s libel laws are possibly being used by GE Healthcare to intimidate a prominent Danish radiologist, Henrik Thomsen, M.D.,\u00a0into stopping his criticism of its Omniscan product, which has been in the news recently<\/a>.<\/p>\n

In the December 20, 2009 edition of The Sunday Times<\/em> (UK) one found this descriptively titled article: “Libel gag on talk of ‘medical hurricane’ — A healthcare firm is seeking to silence a Danish academic from expressing doubts about one of its products by using England\u2019s draconian libel laws”<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Another version of this article, “GE Suit Hushes Scientist Critical of Omniscan”<\/a>, was published online at ProPublica<\/em><\/a>, which is a US-based independent, non-profit newsroom that produces investigative journalism in the public interest.\u00a0 Therein, reporters\u00a0 Jeff Gerth, of ProPublica<\/em>, and Jon Ungoed-Thomas, of The Sunday Times <\/em>(UK), tell us about this war being waged by GE Healthcare in the UK court system against Dr. Thomasen, a well-respected medical doctor who is not even a resident of Great Britain.\u00a0 From this ProPublica<\/em> version of the article:<\/p>\n

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Two years ago in a conference room in the Randolph hotel in Oxford, England, Henrik Thomsen gave his inside account of a medical “nightmare.” In a presentation to about 30 colleagues, Thomsen, one of Europe’s leading radiologists, revealed how patients treated at his Copenhagen University hospital had subsequently contracted a rare and potentially fatal disease….<\/p>\n

Thomsen, however, now refuses to speak anywhere in England on the possible risks of Omniscan. The reason is that he faces another kind of storm: GE Healthcare is suing him for libel in the UK High Court.<\/p>\n

The company claims his presentation in Oxford \u2014 entitled “Management Aspects of NSF” \u2014 was highly defamatory. GE has already racked up costs of more than \u00a3380,000 (about $615,000) pursuing the respected academic, who has authored or co-authored nearly 400 papers and delivered countless presentations to his peers. Thomsen will have to pay GE’s costs if he loses the case.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Further, this online article at ProPublica\u00a0<\/em>about GE Healthcare, Omniscan, and Dr. Thomasen includes several background items in the sidebar of that web page:<\/p>\n

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  • GE Omniscan Investigation\n
  • About GE Healthcare\n
  • Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis\n
  • Omniscan and NSF\n
  • How Three Hospitals Handled Omniscan\n
  • Documents <\/li>\n<\/li>\n<\/li>\n<\/li>\n<\/li>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    The ProPublica <\/em>site also has a 135 PDF presentation, “GE v. Thomsen: A British Libel Case”<\/a>, which contains the following related documents:<\/p>\n

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    • Slides from Thomasen’s 2006 presentation on Omniscan cases at Copenhagen University Hospital\n
    • GE’s legal filing accusing Thomsen of libel\n
    • Thomasen’s response to GE’s accusation\n
    • GE’s response to Thomasen’s defense <\/li>\n<\/li>\n<\/li>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      We are anxious to hear reactions from our readers about this apparent “beat-down” tactic by Big Pharma.\u00a0 Please let us know what you think by submitting a Comment, below.<\/p>\n

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