What is Vioxx?
Vioxx lawsuits stem from side effects that include blood clots, heart attacks, and strokes, and mostly arise out of Merck & Co.’s (the manufacturers of Vioxx) failure to warn about the risk of heart attacks and strokes; moreover, there is evidence showing that Merck knew of the risk: They ran a clinical trial, which was initially developed to determine whether Vioxx would be effective in preventing colon polyps, and found that those taking the drug for longer than 18 months had double the risk of a heart attack or stroke as those taking a placebo. Moreover, those taking the highest daily recommended dosage were found to have three times the risk of a severe coronary event.
In 2004, Merck pulled Vioxx from the market in response to that earlier study and after there were some indications that people taking the medication were harmed. Indeed, more than 20 million Americans were prescribed the painkiller from 1999 to 2004 and heart experts estimate that about 100,000 people may have suffered heart attacks because of Vioxx. In April 2006, a retired insurance salesman filed suit against Vioxx and won a $4.5 million judgment after he suffered a stroke; as of April 2006, there were also another 9,650 lawsuits pending against Merck.
If you were prescribed Vioxx and have suffered an injury due to taking the medication, you should contact a Vioxx recall lawyer immediately.