A group of attorneys, led by Jamie Scher, has filed a class action lawsuit in California against Gilead Sciences, the company that marketed remdesivir as a safe and effective drug for COVID-19 patients.
The lawsuit represents individuals affected by the use or forced administration of remdesivir, a drug whose efficacy has come under scrutiny. One plaintiff survived a 30-day coma after receiving five doses of remdesivir, but he now faces severe health problems, including difficulty walking. Another plaintiff, a widow with three children, expressed her husband's wish not to receive remdesivir in the hospital, but he was given the drug against their explicit wishes.
The lawsuit alleges that Gilead Sciences promoted remdesivir as safe and effective while failing to disclose potential harmful side effects. Even in cases where injuries and deaths resulted from its use, the company continued to assert its safety and effectiveness. One interviewee, Nicole Riggs, believes remdesivir is responsible for her father's death. Despite family objections, he was administered the drug during his hospitalization for COVID-19, resulting in $1.2 million in medical bills over 16 days.
Attorney Jamie Scher considers it her moral duty to pursue this lawsuit, particularly as there are plans to make an oral form of remdesivir available without a prescription. She highlighted a critical issue: in pharmacy, unlike in food labeling, there is no legal obligation to disclose potential allergens or side effects on the label. The primary objective of the lawsuit is to demand that Gilead Sciences cease and desist their promotion of remdesivir; the plaintiffs are not seeking financial compensation, but rather aiming to save lives. The lawsuit encompasses over 1,100 stories of individuals affected by the drug.
As of now, Gilead Sciences has not provided a response to the lawsuit. This case raises significant concerns about the marketing and administration of remdesivir, shedding light on potential risks and the need for greater transparency in pharmaceutical practices. It emphasizes the importance of informed consent and the ethical responsibility of companies to prioritize patient safety over profit.
