GE Healthcare
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This article is part of the Pharma_Portal project of Spinwatch. |
GE Healthcare is a company that specialises in (in its own words):
- transformational medical technologies and services that are shaping a new age of patient care. Our expertise in medical imaging and information technologies, medical diagnostics, patient monitoring systems, performance improvement, drug discovery, and biopharmaceutical manufacturing technologies.[1]
It is a UK-based subsidiary of General Electric.[2]
In February 2010, The Guardian reported that a Danish radiologist being sued for libel by GE Healthcare, was launching a 'counterclaim for libel.'[3] Henrik Thomsen previously claimed the company's contrast agent Omniscan which is used in MRI scans caused a 'potentially fatal condition in some patients with kidney problems'. According to Thomsen, 30 patients at Copenhagen University Hospital have developed nephrogenic systemic fibrosis (NSF). [4] Thomsen counter-sued the company for defamation after it called him a liar in a press release. GE Healthcare subsequently dropped the libel action after reaching a settlement with Thomsen, claiming it 'did not mean to stifle academic debate'.[5][6] Thomson released a statement claiming:
- I stand by my publicly expressed opinion, based on my experience and research on published papers, that there is an association between the chemical formulation of gadolinium-based contrast agents and NSF.[7]
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Affiliations
In the financial year 2007-8 GE Healthcare was a funder of Sense About Science[8]. SAS has run a high-profile campaign against libel laws in science (Keep Libel Laws out of Science[9]) in relation to the case of the science writer Simon Singh being sued for libel by the British Chiropractic Association for an article in the Guardian in which he claimed the BCA promoted "bogus" treatments.[10]
While SAS devotes a substantial section of its website to supporting Singh's cause, however, it nowhere (as at February 2010) mentions the libel case that its funder GE Healthcare launched against the radiologist Henrik Thomsen.
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Resources
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Notes
- ↑ About GE Healthcare, GE Healthcare website, accessed 20 Feb 2010
- ↑ About GE Healthcare, GE Healthcare website, accessed 20 Feb 2010
- ↑ Leigh, D. The Guardian. 16 February 2010.Danish scientist sued by drug firm under British libel laws to counterclaim Accessed 18 February 2010.
- ↑ Booth, R. The Guardian. 20 December 2009. UK libel law has gagged me, says leading Danish radiologist Accessed 18 February 2010.
- ↑ Leigh, D. The Guardian. 18 February 2010.US drug firm drops libel action against scientist' Accessed 18 February 2010.
- ↑ Statement from GE Healthcare on Settlement with Professor Henrik Thomsen, GE Healthcare, 18 February 2010, accessed 19 Feb 2010
- ↑ Leigh, D.The Guardian. 18 February 2010. US drug firm drops libel action against scientist' Accessed 18 February 2010.
- ↑ Sense About Science Financial Statement Year Ended 5 April 2008, available here
- ↑ National Petition for Libel Law Reform, SAS website, accessed 16 Feb 2010
- ↑ Chiropractic critic loses first round in libel fight, New Scientist, Issue 2708, 15 May 2009, accessed 19 Feb 2010
