GE Healthcare of Chalfont St. Giles, U.K., and a Danish radiologist have settled their war of words over GE's Omniscan contrast agent, with GE agreeing to drop a libel suit against the physician.
GE had filed suit in the U.K. against Dr. Henrik Thomsen of Herlev Hospital in Herlev, Denmark, charging that he had made false accusations about the company and the alleged connection between Omniscan and nephrogenic systemic fibrosis (NSF), a debilitating and occasionally fatal condition. Thomsen had stated that the company had marketed Omniscan knowing that it was connected to NSF, GE charged.
In a February 17 statement, GE announced that it had reached a settlement with Thomsen, and both parties issued statements clarifying their positions.
"It was not my intention to suggest on the basis of the evidence then available to me that GE Healthcare had marketed Omniscan knowing that it might cause NSF," Thomsen said. "I stand by my publicly expressed opinion, based on my experience and research on published papers, that there is an association between the chemical formulation of gadolinium-based contrast agents and NSF."
GE executives also welcomed the end of the dispute.
"It was not the intention of GE Healthcare by bringing proceedings for libel against Professor Thomsen to stifle academic debate," said Dr. Lynne Gailey, executive vice president for communications at the company. "GE Healthcare objected to statements made by Professor Thomsen which it interpreted as suggesting that it had known from the outset that Omniscan caused NSF."
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