WASHINGTON - December 29 - Help us stop Sen. Frist and others from padding drug industry profits at the expense of American consumers. Write to your senator and demand no holiday giveaways to the drug industry!

Action Alert from Public Citizen, http://www.citizen.org
http://action.citizen.org/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=1687&track=AvianCitizenOrg
This alert compiled by Avian Flu Awareness, http://www.avianfluawareness.org

(For complete details, please read "Frist's Backroom Coup Is a Shot in the Arm for Drug Industry, a Slap in the Face of Consumers" Dec. 20, 2005 11th Hour Conference Report Rider Bars Compensation for the Injured and Absolves Reckless, Negligent Drug Companies of Responsibility http://www.citizen.org/pressroom/release.cfm?ID=2102 )

Republicans are exploiting anxieties about avian flu to quietly pass legislation that shields the drug industry from being held legally accountable when flu vaccines and other pharmaceuticals used to treat pandemic diseases cause death, disability or serious sickness. (Majority Leader Frist has attached it as a provision in a completely unrelated defense spending bill, hoping no one will notice!)

Update: The vote has already taken place. Shamefully, Congress put corporate interests above the public interest and passed this unsafe, unfair, and unnecessary legislation. Thank you for your efforts in helping to stop the drug industry giveaway.

We plan to take action at the start of the new year, and will need your help to convince members of Congress that they made the wrong decision.

Until then, we encourage you to use the space below to send a personal note to your member of Congress expressing your disappointment in the passage of this legislation.

If you have time, please also call or visit the district offices of your Senators and Representative during the recess to express your opinion on this legislation. http://www.congress.org
Capitol switchboard: 1-866-340-9279 or 1-202-224-3121

Note: This legislation was originally S1873/HR3970, The Biodefense and Pandemic Vaccine and Drug Development Act of 2005. The drug liability shield rider that was passed has some changes from the original bill; the rider does not create the secret agency BARDA.

Organizations opposing this legislation:
http://www.citizen.org Public Citizen
http://www.nvic.org National Vaccine Information Center
http://www.protectamericanfamilies.org/fristenstein Protect American Families
http://www4.dr-rath-foundation.org/us/dshea_letter.html Dr. Rath Health
Foundation**
http://www.centerjd.org Center for Justice and Democracy

**Contact the Dr. Rath Health Foundation for free petition pads to take action against this legislation and other anti-vitamin legislation.
http://www4.dr-rath-foundation.org/
Phone: +1-800-381-4185

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Background articles:
Dec. 20, 2005
Frist's Backroom Coup Is a Shot in the Arm for Drug Industry, a Slap in the Face of Consumers
11th Hour Conference Report Rider Bars Compensation for the Injured and Absolves Reckless, Negligent Drug Companies of Responsibility
http://www.citizen.org/pressroom/release.cfm?ID=2102

Consumer Group Letter Opposing Vaccine Legislation, (November 29, 2005)
http://centerjd.org/press/release/051129.pdf

December 15, 2005 edition
Bill to shield vaccinemakers raises alarms
By Gregory M. Lamb | The Christian Science Monitor
A measure to shield drug manufacturers from lawsuits in an effort to encourage them to develop new vaccines is likely to be quietly attached to a "must pass" defense appropriation bill within the next few days.
http://www.christiansciencemonitor.com/2005/1215/p13s02-uspo.html

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For alternative information on bird flu, please visit:
http://www.avianfluawareness.org
~natural alternatives to flu vaccines and Tamiflu
Contact: info@avianfluawareness.org

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