June 26, 2006
Merck & Co., facing over 1,000 lawsuits because of its now withdrawn painkiller Vioxx, has based much of its defense on research suggesting it takes months of Vioxx use to cause cardiovascular problems. But now the journal that originally advanced that position is backing away.
In a correction on its Web site, the New England Journal of Medicine disavowed the conclusion that it takes 18 months for Vioxx risks to appear. The correction alters the wording of the research paper and the abstract. The research originally appeared in early 2005.
Merck pulled Vioxx, a popular pain reliever widely used by arthritis patients, off the market in September 2004, saying it was "putting patient safety first." However, the Wall Street Journal reported earlier that company officials had fought for years to protect the highly profitable drug and to keep news of the health risks quiet.
Vioxx was a big moneymaker for Merck, generating about $2.5 billion in yearly sales.
So far, Merck has won two Vioxx liability cases and lost two. However, hundreds more are awaiting trial.
The latest trial, in which Merck plaintiffs were awarded a total of $13.5 million, was considered significant because it was the first to involve patients taking the drug for a long period of time.
