Media, Lawmakers Still Addresssing Unknown Author of Eli Lilly Provision in Homeland Security Law

CBS and NPR have recently reported on the unknown authorship of a provision in the recently passed homeland security law that protects pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly from lawsuits involving thimerosal, a vaccine preservative that some people contend is a factor in childhood autism. Under the provision, the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program will address lawsuits related to vaccines, and vaccine manufacturers may be sued only if a plaintiff is "unhappy" with the remedy offered by the federal program (Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, 12/2). According to congressional aides, the provision was added to the homeland security law during negotiations between House and Senate Republican aides. One aide said the language "mysteriously appeared" in the House version of the bill, as if someone had "pasted it in" directly from an earlier, unsuccessful measure proposed by Sen. Bill Frist (R-Tenn.). Richard Diamond, a spokesperson for retiring House Majority Leader Richard Armey (R-Texas), would not say who was responsible for the language, but added that everybody involved in the negotiations supported the move. He said, "If you want to give somebody credit for it, Mr. Armey takes ultimate credit. It's his bill" (Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, 12/2).

CBS, NPR Coverage

• CBS' "Evening News": In an interview with CBS, Armey said he inserted the provision to "keep vaccine-makers from going out of business under the weight of mounting lawsuits," adding that he is "proud" of his action. The segment also includes comments from Rep. Dan Burton (R-Ind.), an opponent of the measure, and Lilly spokesperson Debra Steelman (Acosta, "CBS Evening News," CBS, 12/12).
  
  A transcript of the segment and a video excerpt in RealPlayer are available online .
  
• NPR's "Morning Edition": In an interview on NPR, Tompaine.com Editor and Publisher John Moyers discussed the $10,000 reward his public interest journal is offering for information identifying the provision's author. Correspondent Alex Chadwick also discussed the authorship question with NPR health policy correspondent Julie Rovner. In addition, the segment includes comments from Diamond (Chadwick, "Morning Edition," NPR, 12/19).
  
  The full segment will be available in RealPlayer after noon ET online.