Plaintiffs unhappy with settlement rejection

Plaintiffs have criticized the government for rejecting a court-mediated settlement in the lawsuit seeking damages for fatal side-effects linked to the cancer drug Iressa.

67-year-old Akio Chikazawa, whose daughter died aged 31 after taking Iressa, told reporters on Friday that he was disappointed and saddened by the government's decision.

He said he had been asking the government and the maker of Iressa to clarify the cause of the patients' suffering.

He said all he can do now is apologize to his daughter.

Lawyer for the defense Masumi Minaguchi also criticized the government rejection.

She said the court noted the patients' right to know and the importance of ensuring the safety of medicines, so the government's rejection of the settlement equates to a rejection of both the rights of cancer patients and the importance of drug safety.