Michigan Repeals Law that Shielded Drug Manufacturers from Liability

If you have been injured by a dangerous drug in Michigan, you may now be able to hold its manufacturer accountable. Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed a bill repealing a 1995 law that gave drug manufacturers broad protections. The law made it almost impossible to hold drug companies accountable for selling dangerous products in the state. These protections gave pharmaceutical companies immunity to product liability claims in the state with only a single exception carved out for products that came to market after fraudulently receiving FDA approval. Michigan was the only state that had such far-reaching protections for drug companies.

In a victory for people who have been hurt by dangerous drugs, that protection has been removed. The old law made it difficult to hold the companies responsible for the opioid epidemic accountable, while enabling certain kinds of Medicaid fraud. With its repeal, the state hopes to recover taxpayer money while showing that endangering the lives of its citizens with faulty drugs is not something it will tolerate. This puts Michigan on what the state’s attorney general, Dana Nessel, called “an even playing field with the rest of the country.”

Paul LLP Trial Attorneys is poised to help drug injury victims in Michigan and throughout the United States. Contact us at (816) 984-8100 to speak with an attorney, or continue browsing our website to learn more about our law firm.