AFJ Filmmakers Nominated for an Oscar

Congratulations to filmmakers Jon Alpert and Matt O'Neill on the Oscar nomination for their HBO documentary Unnatural Disaster: The Tears of Sichuan Province!

Alliance for Justice is proud to have recently partnered with Jon and Matt to produce two short documentaries explaining why people harmed by prescription drugs or defective medical devices need to access justice through our courts. The films Hit and Run and Access Denied: the Fight for Corporate Accountability tell the story of Americans who trusted pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturers to sell safe products, were harmed as a result, and now have no ability to seek recourse for their damages. The films explain why Congress must pass the Medical Device Safety Act, which is desperately needed to end corporate immunity for manufacturers of faulty medical devices.

We hope people will take action and join with the AARP, The New England Journal of Medicine, Public Citizen, Easter Seals, the National Conference for State Legislatures, and a number of other medical and consumer advocacy groups to pass the Medical Device Safety Act in 2010.

Thanks to Jon and Matt for helping Alliance for Justice bring attention to FDA preemption and the Medical Device Safety Act, and best of luck to you at this year’s Oscars!

Protecting Patients from Defective Medical Devices

On August 4, patients from across the country who have been harmed by defective medical devices will travel to attend a hearing in front of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. The 2:30 PM hearing, entitled “Protecting Patients from Defective Medical Devices” will be preceded by a press conference from 12:00 - 1:00 PM in the Russell Senate building room 485.

Alliance for Justice President Nan Aron will open the press conference, with Senator Harkin (D-IA) and several medical device patients speaking about why Congress must quickly take action to pass the Medical Device Safety Act of 2009. The event will also feature a screening of AFJ's film “Hit and Run”. If you are interested in attending the press conference please contact Lisa Hayes at LHayes@afj.org or 202-822-6070.