Things You Should Know About Vioxx
You may have heard of the drug Vioxx. It is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, often known as a NSAID. Vioxx was used to treat osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and other forms of inflammatory diseases. It has been estimated that over 80 million people were at one time prescribed Vioxx for the treatment of their ailments.
Vioxx was created and researched by Merck & Co. and was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on May 20, 1999. Originally called Rofecoxib, it was also marketed under the names Vioxx, Ceoxx, and Ceeoxx. But, by September 30, 2004, Merck & Co. had decided to voluntarily remove Vioxx from the market due to health risks based on many studies performed on the drug and the patients that took it.
What type of health risks were involved for those taking Vioxx? People who took Vioxx may have experienced heart attacks of strokes brought on by the drug. If you took Vioxx and experience abdominal pain, nausea, blood in your vomit, bloody stools, unexplained weight gain, flu like symptoms, yellow skin, unusual bleeding or bruising, or fatigue, you should contact your doctor immediately.
Because some patients were harmed by taking Vioxx, there have been many lawsuits brought against Merck & Co. By March 2006, over 10,000 cases and 190 class action suits had been filed. In August 2005, the widow of Robert Ernst, Carol, was awarded $253.4 million dollars in a wrongful death suit. Attorneys argued that Vioxx caused Robert’s heart attack and subsequent death. Although Carol was awarded $253.4 million dollars, she can receive no more than that punitive damaged limit for the state of Texas - $26.1 million dollars. There have been several cases brought against Merck & Co. that were dismissed. To help pay the legal expenses related to Vioxx suits, Merck & Co. have reserved $970 million dollars.
Disclaimer: Cliff Schaffer does not personally endorse or support any of the comments made within the writings of this article. |
