This is Part Two of a Two-Part article on the Synthroid lawsuit settlement. You can read Part 1 by clicking here.

As someone concerned about the issue of this settlement, I was frankly puzzled why a settlement that seemed not to benefit the thyroid patients taking Synthroid had been crafted, and if the law firms seemed not to be too interested in obtaining more than $19 per person for the patients, then who was representing patients in this matter.

What I discovered, unfortunately, is that none of the major thyroid patient organizations or medical organizations involved in consumer-oriented thyroid awareness feel that this issue is their responsibility or concern.

I contacted the Thyroid Foundation of America, the American Medical Women's Association (sponsors of the Synthroid-funded "Gland Central" campaign), and the Thyroid Society. As an advocate on behalf of thyroid disease patients around the country, I wrote to them to request their input/position regarding the the impending finalization of the proposed settlement of the Synthroid class action suit. My questions centered on whether or not they found this proposed settlement truly in the best interests of the thyroid patients.

All three organizations stated that they were not involved in the issue or taking a position on the Synthroid lawsuit or its fairness to thyroid patients.

I also contacted Senator Tom Harkin, whose brother died of thyroid cancer last year, and who spoke out about government responsibility related to the nuclear testing in the 50s and its impact on thyroid problems. I had repeated conversations with the Senator's staff discussing these issues, and provided extensive information on several occasions to the staff regarding the Synthroid lawsuit settlement, an issue that affects millions of thyroid patients -- including Senator Harkin himself. However, numerous attempts to obtain a statement went unanswered, a non-response that must be construed as a "no comment," demonstrating Senator Harkin's lack of concern for thyroid patients on this important issue.

So, in the absence of any nationally coordinated effort to contest the, in my opinion, meager compensation involved in this settlement, and the absence of any national leadership on the issue, what's left for the individual patient.

Getting Involved

If the amount of the compensation doesn't concern you, and you'd like to take part in the settlement, you must live in the United States and Puerto Rico and have purchased Synthroid between January 1, 1990 and October 30, 1997. If you'd like to participate, you'll need to fill out the claims form available online at http://www.synthroidclaims.com/formstart.html and send it postmarked no later than July 31, 1998.

If you would like the opportunity to pursue your own judgment separate from the "class," you need to do something called " exclude yourself from the class." The court will exclude you from the class and the proposed settlement only if you complete and mail, by first class mail, postage prepaid, a written request for exclusion postmarked by February 6, 1998. The instructions for how to exclude yourself are on the Synthroid Claims page, at http://www.synthroidclaims.com/notice.html. If you exclude yourself from the class, you will not be bound by the proposed settlement, you will not receive the payments described above, and you will not share in the benefits of the proposed settlement, but you may pursue your own settlement with your own legal representation, separate from the class action suit.

The Settlement Hearing

A settlement hearing will be held on March 13, 1998 at 1:30 p.m. in Courtroom 1725 at 219 South Dearborn Street, Chicago, Illinois 60604 (please confirm this information closer to the date at http://www.synthroidclaims.com if you wish to attend, as this is tentative. The hearing's purpose is to determine if the proposed settlement is fair to the people filing the suit (the "class"), to determine whether the class members have been fairly represented by their attorneys, and to consider the applications of attorneys for for an award of attorneys' fees and reimbursement of expenses.

If you are a class member and are NOT requesting exclusion, you can object to the fairness, reasonableness or adequacy of the proposed settlement, or other factors to be considered in the hearing, as defined at the Synthroid Claims page. If you want to file objections, you'll need to file them before February 6, 1998with the Clerk of the Court, United States District Court, Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division, 219 South Dearborn Street, Chicago, Illinois 60604. The filing includes a written statement of objection, along with any other supporting materials, papers or briefs that he or she wishes the Court to consider, and must on that same date serve such papers by delivery to the various lawyers involved, who are listed at the Synthroid Claims page.

We're dealing with a major pharmaceutical company (which is settling for far less an amount than the original suit called for), and experienced class action law firms (earning millions from these suits). And thyroid organizations that, for a variety of reasons, do not believe this issue is of concern to them, despite the fact that it's of concern to their members or constituencies. And on the other end are patients taking Synthroid, predominantly women and older people, who suffer from thyroid disease, a disease that is overlooked by the public and the medical world, and one often written off as that "gland problem that makes people fat."

But should you? As far as speaking your peace if you find this of concern, yes. If you would like to post your thoughts on this here at the website, send me an email.

Previous Features

If you want to drop me a line, email me at thyroid.guide@about.com!

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