Merck Settles Vioxx Claims for $4.85 Billion

K.C. Bouchillon

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Merck, the manufacturer of the heavily marketed arthritis/pain medication, Vioxx, has committed $4.85 billion toward settlement of claims that the product was defective and could and did cause death. Merck pulled the product from the market about three years ago when reports of Vioxx-related deaths surfaced. Since then, the company has been accused of putting marketing and profits ahead of consumer safety. The head of the Journal of the American Medical Association, speaking on NPR, estimated that approximately 95% of those taking the prescription drug didn't need it, exposing them to an unnecessary risk of heart attack or stroke. Unfortunately, as large as the settlement amount is, it is less than the amount of just one year of Merck's net profits.

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