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New York Sues Merck Over Vioxx
September 19, 2007

Three years after pharmaceutical giant Merck withdrew its Vioxx painkiller from the market after reports that it caused an increase in cardiovascular diseases, New York State and the City of New York have jointly sued Merck for concealing vital information about the painkiller. The lawsuit is seeking restitution to the tune of millions of dollars spent on Vioxx through Medicaid. Each state, including California, prepares lists of drugs that it is willing to pay for. The lawsuit alleges that had the State been aware of the potential side effects of Vioxx, it would have gone with cheaper alternatives instead. The lawsuit has been jointly filed by the Attorney General's Office and the office of the Mayor.

Last year, Merck was the subject of a Vioxx related lawsuit in California. 71-year-old Stewart Grossberg claimed that the Vioxx he had been taking since 1999 to manage joint pain caused him serious heart ailments. Grossberg sought $214,000 in compensatory and punitive damages from Merck.

According to the Wall Street Journal, in this more recent lawsuit it is alleged that Merck purposely neglected to convey information about Vioxx that would have alerted authorities to the painkiller's potential cardiovascular risks.

This latest lawsuit is just one, although a high profile one, of the 28,000 lawsuits pending against Merck across the country, all related to Vioxx. The very first settlement with Merck was in 2005 in the amount of $253.4 million dollars.

Drug companies have a responsibility to ensure their product is safe before it is sold in pharmacies. If drug prescribed to you led to a serious injury or condition, you need an experienced drug liability attorney to help you recover financial compensation for your losses. Call the personal injury attorneys at The Reeves Law Group.

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