Families Harmed By Faulty Medical Devices Demand Justice

By Justin Duckham-Talk Radio News Service

A number of a families adversely affected by malfunctioning medical equipment gathered on Capitol Hill Tuesday to voice their support for the Medical Device Safety Act, a bill that would allow consumers to file lawsuits against their devices’ manufacturers.

“I think it’s important that this bill is passed. There is a major injustice in the situation,” said Mike Collins of Georgetown, Texas during a press conference. Collins, who is afflicted with the heart condition hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, received six improper shocks from an implanted defibrillator in 2007.

“The companies need to be held responsible for what they do,” Collins added.

Also in attendance were six year-old Avery Degroh of McHenry, Illinois, who was also shocked by a faulty defibrillator and the family of Robert Baird, an Oakdale, Minnesota teenager who died from a pacemaker malfunction.

Under current conditions, federal law prohibits individuals from taking legal action against medical device manufacturers if the devices have been approved by the FDA. If the Medical Device Safety Act passes, those suffering from faulty devices will be able to side step federal law by filing state productivity lawsuits.