Vioxx

If you have suffered a stroke or heart attack you think might be linked to the pharmaceutical drug Vioxx, you're not alone.

September 30, 2004 Merck & Co. announced that the pharmaceutical drug Vioxx, used by millions of people around the world, is being pulled of the market after a study confirmed long-standing concerns that is raises the risk of heart attack and stroke.

Approved by the FDA in 1999, Vioxx has been marketed as a breakthrough drug for people who suffer from chronic pain such as arthritis. In reality it is an expensive drug that for most people provides no better results than standard non-prescription painkillers, such as aspirin and ibuprofen, yet increases the risk of serious side-effects.

Although Merck is trying to present the recall of Vioxx as a proactive, responsible corporate decision, the company has been aware of the drug's potential risks for several years, yet failed to adequately warn consumers about the dangers.

Health concerns began to surface regarding Vioxx as early as June, 2001 when a study published in a prominent medical journal indicated the drug might have the potential to cause kidney damage. Then in September 2001, the FDA issued a Warning Letter to Merck directing the company to cease certain promotional marketing due to "false, lacking in fair balance, or otherwise misleading" advertising, and for using marketing materials "in violation of the Federal Food, Drugs and Cosmetic Act and application regulations." The FDA determined that Merck "engaged in a promotional campaign for Vioxx that minimizes the potentially serious cardiovascular findings that were observed in the Vioxx Gastrointestinal Outcomes Research."

Since the September 2001 warnings, reports indicating that Vioxx users are at significantly higher risk for cardiovascular problems have been published in several medical journals including The Lancet and the Journal of American Medicine.

Merck dismissed all these studies as inconclusive and continued aggressively marketing the drug. During the first 6 months of 2004 alone, Merck spent more that $45 million on advertisements for Vioxx.

To learn more about Vioxx and to find resources to help you cope with heart attack and stroke recovery, we welcome you to visit our resource website at www.vioxx-advice.org.

Free Case Evaluation

If you've had cardiovascular problems that you think are linked to Vioxx and you'd like to learn more about your legal rights, click here to apply for a Free Case Evaluation.

Resource Website

For more information about Vioxx and resources for treating strokes and heart attacks, pease visit our resource website www.vioxxadvice.org.

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