LEGAL DRUG TRIALS : ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT.(The following information was brought to our attention by a reader of this blog , and was published in a Sunday newspaper in December 2009 : the person who contacted us did so on reading our 'Death of Niall Rush' article and , upon checking to the best of our ability, we are satisfied that that person has no 'axe to grind' re the newspaper in question and/or to the companies or individuals mentioned in the piece.)'General Electric', one of the world's biggest corporations , is using the London libel courts to gag a senior radiologist after he raised the alarm over the potentially fatal risks of one of its drugs.
The multinational is suing Henrik Thomsen , a Danish academic , after he described his experiences of one of the company's drugs as a medical "nightmare" ; he said some kidney patients at his hospital contracted a potentially deadly condition after being administered the drug 'Omniscan'.
'GE Healthcare' , a British subsidiary of 'General Electric', has run up more than £380,000 (€430,000) in legal costs pursuing Thomsen , who said - "I believe the lawsuit is an attempt to silence me. It is dangerous for the patient if we can't frankly exchange views......."
(MORE LATER).
THE PETER BERRY PAPERS....... The Top Secret Memoirs of Ireland's Most Powerful Civil Servant : Dirty Tricks, Election '69/ Spying on a Unionist Politician/ Keeping the (State) Taoiseach informed/ The Garda Fallon Murder/ Advice to Jack Lynch- 'Fire the pair of them...'/ Vivion De Valera's advice to O'Malley/ Rumours of a Coup D'Etat/ The Internment Plot, November 1970/ Secret Meeting with William Craig.From 'MAGILL' magazine , June 1980.
" The Minister was thoughtful and then said that he would like to see the dossiers on over 60 organisations of a subversive character with IRA or communist affiliations. A lot of them were mushroom growths and of little consequence and at points they entwined or overlapped with personnel wearing different hats to suit different occasions.
The Minister campaigned mostly in his own constituency with an odd foray to strengthen candidatures elsewhere. I noticed in the daily press that he was playing the 'commie card' and that he was being echoed by Fianna Fail candidates up and down the country , so apparently it was a trump."
2nd JULY 1969 :
" Fianna Fail was returned to power and Mr O Morain resumed as Minister for Justice. As the newly formed Government had some changes of portfolios I suggested to the Minister that it might be advisable to circulate a fresh memorandum to Government giving a comprehensive picture of the IRA. He approved , and the memorandum emphasised the seriousness of developments within the IRA , it pointed to the fact that a well orchestrated plan along three separate fronts - economic , political and military - was being promoted , it examined the financial position , the calibre of leadership , methods of publicity and orientation of policy powers under the law and said that while the morale and calibre of the security forces within the Garda Siochana were excellent there was a chronic shortage of equipment in the form of radio networks and radio controlled cars which had been requisitioned and refused again and again by the Minister of Finance on the grounds of excessive costs....."
(MORE LATER).
DUBLIN STREET RALLY TO COMMEMORATE THE 22 IRISH HUNGER-STRIKERS WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES FOR IRISH FREEDOM BETWEEN 1917 AND 1981....REMEMBERING BOBBY SANDS.....
" Things are loud and getting louder
so I don't have a lot to say
if I did you wouldn't hear me
so what's the use anyway
go fight your war and hide your whore
I'm sure Jesus understands
leave me in my own head
where I'm remembering Bobby Sands
Washington fought the British
they put him on a bill
an Irishman does the same
and special forces shoot to kill
while Amerikay looks the other way
among those who know firsthand
the price of freedom is tears and blood
and remembering Bobby Sands
the price of freedom is tears and blood
and remembering Bobby Sands
When a soldier lays down his life
so his comrades can be free
is it not us who forced his hand
by ignoring tyranny?
when men sit by and let others die
the killing will expand
so I'd like to take a moment here
to remember Bobby Sands
Tonight I'll tuck my children into bed
under liberty's flame
and soldiers will go off to kill
so ordered in my name
how do I sleep with a price so steep
and a government so bland
maybe it's time to hit my knees
and remember Bobby Sands."
(From here: thanks to 'Jimmymac' for assisting with this post.)
A March and Rally will be held in Dublin City Centre on Saturday 7th May 2011 in remembrance of the 22 Irish Hunger-Strikers ,a commemorative function will be held that same night and the Annual Bobby Sands Lecture will be held in a Dublin City Centre venue on Tuesday night , 10th May 2011 - full details on these events will be published here in the near future.
Thanks for reading,
Sharon.
