Merck Suppressed Clinical Trial Evidence About the Dangers of Vioxx "We expect accountability, we expect them to be open with us, we expect them to be honest with us." That comment was made last week by Marsha Robbins, the forewoman of the jury that found Merck liable for the death of a man who suffered an arrhythmia while taking Vioxx, Merck's arthritis painkiller. Apparently Ms. Robbins doesn't read the e-Alert. If she did, her expectations of honesty from drug companies might be considerably lower. The jury awarded the widow of Robert C. Ernst more than a quarter of a billion dollars: $24.5 million to cover economic losses and mental anguish, and $229 million in punitive damages. That second award is $229 million worth of anger. Not from Mrs. Ernst, but from the jurors who received a first-hand education in exactly how devious drug companies can be when they choose corporate profits over consumer safety. (For more details on the Vioxx scandal, see the e-Alerts "Man's Best Friend" (10/4/04), and "Hasty Pudding" (2/24/05), both available on our web site at hsibaltimore.com.) Merck lawyers will appeal this staggering award. Meanwhile, they're preparing defense in more than 4,000 additional Vioxx-related lawsuits. According to the New York Times, lawyers expect there may eventually be as many as 100,000 Vioxx suits filed. All of those juries will be made up of typical consumers and each in turn will hear how Merck suppressed clinical trial evidence about the dangers of Vioxx. Anger? A quarter of a billion is just the tip of the iceberg. Sources:
"Jury Calls Merck Liable in Death of Man on Vioxx" Alex Berenson, The New York Times, 8/19/05, nytimes.com | 
