High Court Seems Unconvinced by Merck in Vioxx Arguments
U.S. Supreme Court justices seemed reluctant Monday to give the pharmaceutical company Merck & Co. a “statute of limitations” way out of defending against a securities fraud class action involving Vioxx. The Court heard arguments in the latest round in a continuing battle over how easy or hard it should be to file class actions. Companies want speed, while shareholder and consumer groups insist
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Painkiller Vioxx Goes on Trial
Merck faces its first federal trial for its painkiller, Vioxx. The plaintiff alleges the drug caused a fatal heart attack in a 53-year-old man. The company faces close to 4,000 such cases. Vioxx was withdrawn from the market last year after a study showed it doubled the risk of heart problems.
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Despite settlement, Vioxx suits persist
Merck is on the verge of settling most of the serious personal injury lawsuits over Vioxx, but the drugmaker still faces substantial litigation over the one-time blockbuster painkiller it yanked from the market in 2004 because of cardiovascular risks.
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Doctors: Data show Vioxx dangerous at least 1 year after use
People who took the painkiller Vioxx were at increased risk of heart attack and stroke for at least a year after they stopped taking the drug, several doctors said today, challenging claims the drug's maker had made the day before.
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