Teva Accused of Prioritizing Profit Over Patient Safety in Hep C Trial

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries was recently accused by lawyers at a Nevada trial of prioritizing profit over patient safety, following a hepatitis C outbreak caused by nurses reusing propofol vials, according to a Bloomberg Businessweek report.

Teva, along with drug distributors Baxter International and McKesson, allegedly marketed propofol in oversized vials, knowing that physicians and nurses would be tempted to re-use the vials and potentially expose patients to bloodborne diseases. Robert Eglet, a lawyer for the colonoscopy patients who developed hepatitis after receiving propofol, said responsible drug companies should not prioritize profits over patient safety.

Teva faces almost 300 lawsuits stemming from a hepatitis C outbreak in southern Nevada three year ago. The trial of the first case against Teva and Baxter resulted in a verdict of more than $500 million against the drug manufacturers.

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