Taken by around 20 million people, Vioxx was one of the leading arthritis painkillers on the market until its withdrawal in September 2004. To date, attorneys have filed over 10,000 lawsuits and 190 class action lawsuits across the US as a result of health implications and deaths allegedly caused by Vioxx.
Vioxx, also known as Ceoxx and Ceeoxx, was first approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on May 20, 1999. The active ingredient, Rofecoxib, was said to treat osteoarthritis, acute pain conditions, and dysmenorrhoea with far fewer side effects than similar drugs. However, what later emerged is that Vioxx could potentially cause serious cardiovascular problems, including heart attack and stroke. The first lawsuit was won by the plaintiff in August 2005, with a Texas jury voting 10-2 to hold Merck liable for the death of a former user of Vioxx. This landmark case opened up the possibility of many more lawsuits against Merck, and indeed many more successful cases have since been filed. In anticipation of many legal battles, Merck has reserved $1.64 billion in its Vioxx legal defense fund. With only a small percentage of cases having come to court, it seems that there is still a very long road ahead for Merck and the alleged victims of Vioxx.
Vioxx, also known as Ceoxx and Ceeoxx, was first approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on May 20, 1999. The active ingredient, Rofecoxib, was said to treat osteoarthritis, acute pain conditions, and dysmenorrhoea with far fewer side effects than similar drugs. However, what later emerged is that Vioxx could potentially cause serious cardiovascular problems, including heart attack and stroke. The first lawsuit was won by the plaintiff in August 2005, with a Texas jury voting 10-2 to hold Merck liable for the death of a former user of Vioxx. This landmark case opened up the possibility of many more lawsuits against Merck, and indeed many more successful cases have since been filed. In anticipation of many legal battles, Merck has reserved $1.64 billion in its Vioxx legal defense fund. With only a small percentage of cases having come to court, it seems that there is still a very long road ahead for Merck and the alleged victims of Vioxx.