Thousands of Vioxx Lawsuits Coming Down the Pipes
Mercola.com
It appears Merck -- the pharmaceutical firm that pulled Vioxx from the market after studies proved the drug increased cardiovascular risks -- better get ready to rumble; more than 3,800 lawsuits filed for patients allegedly killed or injured by the painkiller are coming down the pipes. The first one out: A Texas state court case filed by Carol Ernst, whose husband, Robert, died in 2001 while taking Vioxx for hand pain. The Ernst Case Robert, a runner and marathoner, exercised regularly and had quit smoking and all alcohol, save an occasional glass of wine. Roughly eight months after switching to Vioxx, Robert fell into a coma late one night in May. He never regained consciousness. Given her husband's incredibly healthy lifestyle, Carol is convinced Vioxx is to blame for the sudden heart arrhythmia that killed her husband. She also believes the company was well aware of the problems linked to Vioxx long before they pulled it off the market in September 2004. (Considering the recent recovery of an internal Merck memo, she may be right.) And on That Note ... Merck was hit with another legal attack from the state of Texas accusing the company of covering up the drug's health risks. Texas Attorney General announced his state had filed a separate lawsuit against Merck for at least $168 million, based on prescription reimbursements made by the state's Medicaid program during the five years Vioxx was on the market. The lawsuit claims: Merck internal memos and e-mails (dating back to 1996) prove the company knew how and why Vioxx induced significantly higher cardiovascular risks in patients taking the painkiller compared to a control group.
The company chose not to disclose the danger and even pushed to make Vioxx available to thousands of Medicaid and other patients. USA Today July 1, 2005 USA Today June 30, 2005 Subscribe to Dr. Grisanti's Free Health News and Medical ALERTS
Dr. Mercola's Comment:
Recently, attorneys for the plaintiff in these Vioxx cases received what amounted to a gift from Merck, when the embattled drug company mistakenly sent them a memo in which company officials admitted taking Vioxx could increase the risks of cardiovascular problems. As news of the potential dangers of Vioxx has repeatedly surfaced over the last year or so, most of you who've heard about it only hear how studies show it is "potentially harmful" or that its use has only amounted to a small number of deaths in comparison to the thousands upon thousands of people who are helped by it. You probably don't think much about the actual people whose lives have been destroyed by this or similar drugs. The truth is that no one should have to die from taking drugs so the drug companies can make obscene profits. Educating yourself about the evil ways of companies like Merck, and the inherent danger in treating your health problems with drugs and surgery, is an excellent first step you can take toward realizing how this country's current health care system can do little to help you. Finally, taking your health into your own hands and learning about what it takes to reach an optimal level of health will diminish your dependence on conventional medicine and help to assure that you will never need to risk taking a dangerous drug like Vioxx.
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