Merck admits to dangers of Vioxx to short term users

Vioxx victims are heaving a sigh of relief and attorneys fighting on their behalf now have a better chance of getting justice now that Merck has admitted that it has no evidence for its argument that the drug causes no harm if taken for less than 18 months. It means that many more victims that have suffered after taking the painkiller can have their day in court.

Looks as if we may be coming to some kind of a settlement about the controversy about how dangerous Vioxx is for short-term users of the drug. Merck had claimed all along that Vioxx did not cause an injury if used for less than 18 months. In a complete reversal, the company is now agreeing with independent experts like David Graham and Benedict Lucchessi who have all along said that even occasional or rare use of the arthritis drug could trigger a heart attack or stroke.

In a press release, Merck says that it is merely correcting a description of a statistical method. However, a careful review of the statement shows that the company has no basis left to deny compensation to the family members of approximately 60,000 Americans that have died after taking the drug. Many more have suffered heart attacks and strokes

Since the recall of the drug in September of 2004, Merck has engaged in a concerted campaign to deny that Vioxx was a dangerous drug and may have killed tens of thousands of people in America alone. The company is already facing as many as 11,500 lawsuits and many more are being filed each day as the deadline for filing approaches.

Related article: Vioxx victim wins $32 million in damages for personal injury