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Merck Hopes New Study Will Help In Vioxx Defense

By Mark Huffman
ConsumerAffairs.com

May 12, 2006

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Merck & Co., the defendant in numerous lawsuits over its withdrawn painkiller Vioxx, is pointing to a new study that shows patients who stopped taking the drug are in little danger.

The drug was withdrawn after patients in clinical trials suffered a higher proportion of heart attacks and strokes than those taking a placebo.

Attorneys for the besieged pharmaceutical giant say a follow-up examination of participants in a three-year study shows that patients who stopped taking Vioxx for one year had no greater risk of heart attacks and strokes than patients who took placebos during the same study.

Why is that important?

Kenneth Frazier, Merck's chief lawyer, says the company faces thousands of lawsuits from people who blame the company for strokes or heart attacks suffered after they discontined use of the drug.

"We believe the data does not provide a valid basis for claims after patients stopped taking the medicine," he said.

Some Wall Street analysts have predicted the Vioxx cases will drag on for a decade or longer and eventually cost the company billions of dollars in legal fees and damages. So far, Merck has resisted a group settlement and has vowed to contest each case individually.

To date, the company has faced six Vioxx damages suits, winning three and losing three.

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