The proposed process provides a methodology for valuing different categories of claims and also provides a structure for individualized negotiations between Wyeth and lawyers representing diet drug claimants.
"We are pleased with the level of interest generated by the proposal," says Lawrence V. Stein, Senior Vice President and General Counsel of Wyeth. "Although many steps remain to resolve this litigation, this is an important development in the settlement process."
Today's announcement follows last month's news that Wyeth was in talks with a group of plaintiffs' attorneys about a proposed settlement approach.
A stay mechanism has been designed to save the parties the time and expense required to prepare for and litigate cases while settlement negotiations proceed. The Company will continue to aggressively litigate with those plaintiffs' attorneys who do not participate in this process.
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Dr. Rozanski also noted that depression, stress, social isolation and other factors are linked to smoking, poor diet, lack of physical activity and other unhealthy behaviors. Thus psychosocial risk factors have both direct and indirect effects that can deliver a double whammy to the cardiovascular system.
The authors called for more research into how to treat these issues.
Treatment: this is the new frontier. There are studies, for example, which show both the health and psychological benefit of exercise, but what needs to be assessed is whether we can develop a practical model for cardiologist-led behavioral interventions, and then show this improves patient outcomes. As in any situation, the more cardiologists believe they can make a difference in this arena, the more they are likely to get involved, Dr. Rozanski said.
Anthony N. DeMaria, M.D., M.A.C.C., Editor in Chief of the journal said the point of this article is to emphasize how prevalent these problems are and the importance of addressing them.
Increasing awareness has led to more studies and these additional studies have shown us that these psychosocial factors have an even greater impact than we had thought, Dr. DeMaria said. Cardiologists, by virtue of the highly technical nature of the discipline, with catheters, angioplasty, nuclear imaging and things of that nature, tend to be oriented toward the pathophysiological aspects of cardiovascular disease. But it ™s clear that the interaction between psychosocial factors and the disease can account for many of the symptoms and can cause either deterioration of the condition, or conversely can be a means by which we can enhance the ability of a patient to function in the setting of heart disease.
He said it was important for the journal to provide an update of recent research, as well as offer practical suggestions for how to incorporate the knowledge into busy cardiology practices in order to benefit patients.
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