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Statement From ATLA President Ken Suggs on Vioxx Verdict
(Wednesday, April 21, 2006 -Washington DC)—ATLA President
Ken Suggs issues the following statement today in response to the
Vioxx verdict in Texas:
"Internal company documents have shown that Merck kept Vioxx,
a drug they knew was dangerous and even deadly, on the market, all
to add to their bottom line. The civil justice system was the last
resort for the victim in this case and without it, Merck would evade
responsibility for this gross negligence."
Vioxx was a widely used anti-inflammatory drug prescribed for the
treatment of osteoarthritis and acute pain which earned Merck $11.7
billion in sales.
It also was dangerous, a fact that Merck chose to ignore.
David Graham, a scientist with the Food and Drug Administration,
told Congress that Vioxx contributed to the death of as many as 55,000
Americans as a result of heart attacks, strokes and blood clots. Internal
Merck’s memos prove the company knew Vioxx offered heart risks
as early as 1997 -- risks that were confirmed by a clinical trial
in 2000.
Ignoring this data, Merck continued to market the drug and even coached
drug representatives on how to evade doctors’ tough questions
about the safety of Vioxx. Merck finally removed the drug from the
market in 2004, after admitting that that people who take then drug
for more than 18 months face an elevated risk of heart attack and
stroke.
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As the world's largest trial bar, ATLA
promotes justice and fairness for injured persons, defends the constitutional
right to trial by jury, and strengthens the civil justice system through
education and disclosure of information critical to public health
and safety. With 60,000 members worldwide, ATLA provides lawyers with
the information and professional assistance they need to serve clients
successfully and protect the democratic values of the civil justice
system.
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