| Personal injury attorneys representing clients who | | | | 80 nations with sales exceeding $2.5 billion. Still, there |
| have allegedly been harmed by the prescription drug | | | | were problems looming as ongoing tests conducted |
| Vioxx are congratulating themselves over a historic | | | | by Merck hinted of potential deadly side effects. |
| judgment rendered recently. On August 19, 2005, a | | | | As early as 2001, the FDA recommended label |
| judge awarded the family of Bob Ernst $253.4 million | | | | warnings be put on prescriptions warning users of |
| due to his death from the drug. Vioxx, which had | | | | potential side effects. In addition, Merck was warned |
| been prescribed most often for arthritis pain, was | | | | by the FDA to quit misleading physicians about |
| withdrawn globally by its maker, Merck, after | | | | potential side effects. |
| research trials showed it increased patients' chances | | | | As potential problems began to surface, they served |
| of a heart attack. Although Merck pulled the drug off | | | | as red flags to industry watchdogs, to the FDA, as |
| the market in September 2004, legal action against | | | | well as to personal injury attorneys who began to |
| this leading pharmaceutical giant will continue and | | | | gather evidence to show that Merck was negligent. |
| expand. Let's take a look at why Vioxx has become | | | | Indeed, web sites and advertising campaigns - meant |
| a litigation lightning rod. | | | | to inform and attract patients harmed by the drug - |
| In 1998 as Merck was running clinical trials for Vioxx, | | | | were launched and fairly soon the internet, radio, |
| company reports to the FDA stated that there were | | | | television, and print media were flooded with |
| no cardiovascular signals apparent. This meant that | | | | advertisements asking those suspecting harm from |
| there were no telltale signs that the drug could cause | | | | Vioxx to come forward. |
| heart problems for users. Later, however, it was | | | | With the September 2004 announcement that Merck |
| revealed that an internal study conducted by Merck | | | | was withdrawing Vioxx, personal injury litigation was |
| around the same time - Study 090 - revealed serious | | | | well on its way to being established. By early 2005, |
| cardiovascular problems as compared to patients not | | | | the first cases were filed and the Ernst case became |
| taking Vioxx. The study was never published by | | | | the first Vioxx lawsuit to be settled. |
| Merck as the company insisted that it was not large | | | | Wrongful death lawsuits against Vioxx's maker, |
| enough to provide definitive data. | | | | Merck, are expected to increase as the result of the |
| The following year the FDA gave Vioxx its approval | | | | Ernst decision. Personal injury attorneys insist that |
| and the drug became the second nonsteroidal | | | | thousands of former Vioxx users and/or their families |
| anti-inflammatory medication [or COX-2 inhibitor] to | | | | are due compensation for Merck's neglect. It remains |
| hit the market. Celebrex, another problem drug, was | | | | to be seen if juries will render judgments as large as |
| the first. | | | | the Ernst judgment and whether courts will uphold |
| Merck widely and thoroughly launched a marketing | | | | these amounts. Nevertheless, it is certain that Merck |
| campaign upon the introduction of Vioxx to the | | | | is in for a long battle that will reach well beyond its |
| marketplace. Indeed, by 2003 the drug had entered | | | | US base. |