Democrats strike blow to medical liability legislation

Washington-It's the insurance industry against the trial lawyers,the Republicans against the Democrats. And urologists, like other physicians,are caught in the middle.On July 9, Senate Democrats blocked White House-supported legislationto limit damage awards in medical liability lawsuits, charging that effortsby Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, MD (R-TN), to force a vote on theissue were political and designed to restore Republican influence with physicians.Dr. Frist pulled the bill after a motion to take up the bill fell 11 votesshy of the 60 needed to cut off a Democratic filibuster.