Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1997. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
|
|
The Wall Street Journal - Thursday, 1 May 1997.
Baxter International Inc. (BAX) , Deerfield, Illinois; Bayer AG of Germany (G.BAY); Rhone-Poulenc Rorer Inc. (RPR), Collegeville, Pennsylvania.; and Japan's Green Cross Corp. had previously agreed to a settlement in which they would pay $100,000 each to the families of hemophiliacs who contracted AIDS or the AIDS virus from blood-clotting medications called Factor VIII and Factor IX.
However, there has been a question about whether the U.S. or state governments would receive money from the settlement fund to reimburse them for any payments they had made to care for the hemophiliacs.
Now, the U.S. and 20 states have agreed to forgo any share of the settlement fund, the companies said. A spokesman for the companies said the agreements will clear the way for payments to at least 4,000 of an estimated 6,000 hemophiliacs expected to participate in the settlement. The spokesman said the companies still are negotiating with other states.
The settlement is scheduled to go before U.S. District Judge John F. Grady in Chicago for a fairness hearing soon to determine if the agreement should go forward. The settlement covers AIDS or the AIDS virus contracted during the early 1980s, before the medications were treated to remove viruses.
Copyright © 1997 - The Wall Street Journal. Reproduction of this article (other than one copy for personal reference) must be cleared through the WSJ Permissions Desk.
AEGiS is a 501(c)3, not-for-profit, tax-exempt, educational corporation. AEGiS is made possible through unrestricted funding from Boehringer Ingelheim, Bridgestone/Firestone Charitable Trust, Elton John AIDS Foundation UK, the National Library of Medicine, AIDS Walk of Orange County, and donations from users like you.
Always watch for outdated information. This article first appeared in 1997. This material is designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between you and your doctor.
AEGiS presents published material, reprinted with permission and neither endorses nor opposes any material. All information contained on this website, including information relating to health conditions, products, and treatments, is for informational purposes only. It is often presented in summary or aggregate form. It is not meant to be a substitute for the advice provided by your own physician or other medical professionals. Always discuss treatment options with a doctor who specializes in treating HIV.
Copyright ©1980, 1997. AEGiS. All materials appearing on AEGiS are protected by copyright as a collective work or compilation under U.S. copyright and other laws and are the property of AEGiS, or the party credited as the provider of the content. .