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Vioxx Verdict: Merck Found Liable for Keeping Deadly Drug on the
Market
(Wednesday, April 5, 2006 -Washington DC)—The last resort
for victims of negligence is often the civil justice system. Today
a jury in Atlantic City, NJ, confirmed that Merck knowingly kept a
deadly drug on the market and is holding the company accountable for
its negligence. In this instance, the jury proved it was more than
capable of sorting through the facts of a complex case and emerging
with a reasoned determination.
Merck ignored persistent warnings from its own researchers that Vioxx
presented unnecessary dangers to its users yet delayed placing a warning
label on the drug because executives calculated the wait would earn
the company an extra $229 million. In testimony before the U.S. Congress,
an FDA official said that Vioxx was responsible for as many as 55,000
deaths.
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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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