Florida Vioxx Case Ruled in Merck’s Favor
Drug maker Merck & Co. Inc. said Friday the jury in a Florida liability case involving its painkiller Vioxx decided in the company’s favor.
Merck has been fighting lawsuits since pulling the drug off shelves in 2004 and has not won them all. The company could lose a predicted 50 billion soon as the dust settles which does not have a clear ending in sight. The drug causes an increased risk of heart attack and stroke that prompted massive litigation
The Jury favored Merck saying they were not liable for plaintiff Refik Kozic’s heart attack. Mr. Kozic alleged that he used Vioxx for about nine weeks before suffering his heart attack in April 2001 at 50 years old, according to Merck. This was the first Vioxx case in Florida to go to trial.
The company has had their share of victories in teh heap of lawsuits. Most notably when they claimed victory in two multibillion-dollar class-action lawsuits, on behalf of shareholders and private insurers seeking to recoup what they paid for Vioxx prescriptions.