Al Franken: “Gladys Mensing lives in Owatonna, MN. She loves being around people. That is a good thing when one has a family as big…”

“Gladys Mensing lives in Owatonna, MN. She loves being around people. That is a good thing when one has a family as big as Gladys does. She is the loving mother of 8 children, with 15 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren. Gladys, as I said, is from Owatonna. It is in southeastern Minnesota. A few weeks ago, I received some old family videos that showed her playing with her grandkids. Gladys used to work as a waitress and as an apartment manager, but what she truly enjoys is a good game of bingo. In 2001, Gladys's doctor gave her a prescription for a medication known as MCP to treat a digestive tract condition. Gladys did what I would have done--she took her prescription to the pharmacy, got it filled, and started taking her medicine per her doctor's orders. Meanwhile, however, evidence was mounting linking MCP to neurological disorders. Within a few years, Gladys began experiencing problems. She lost control of her face, tongue, and legs. It is very hard to understand Gladys when she speaks now. Her son says people sometimes give Gladys strange looks when she goes out in public. Gladys used to be very strong and independent. Now her family has to help her bathe and walk. Gladys wanted to hold the drug manufacturer accountable for what happened to her. She believed the warning label that came with her prescription was inadequate; that it did not sufficiently disclose the risks of taking MCP.…”