Merck Loses Bid for New Trial in New Jersey Vioxx Case
Page 19 - Beasley Allen

A New Jersey judge has upheld a $13.5 million verdict against drug maker Merck & Co. in a Vioxx case. The August 7th ruling by Atlantic County Superior Court Judge Carol Higbee denied Merck's request for a new trial or a reduction in the verdict, which included punitive damages of $9 million. Judge Higbee also awarded the couple $2 million in attorneys' fees and costs and an additional $2,552 per day in interest. John and Irma McDarby had sued Merck in 2005 after John McDarby, who used Vioxx for four years, suffered a heart attack.

The jury awarded the couple $4.5 million in compensatory damages and $9 million in punitive damages. In her order, Judge Higbee said she was entering a $15.7 million judgment for the couple in the court's docket. Interest on that amount starts to run on August 13th. This ruling is a stinging defeat for Merck. This is the second judge - one federal and one state - who have found that Merck's conduct rises to a level that justifies punitive damages.

Ties That Bind
For years, pharmaceutical companies have courted America’s doctors with an ever-growing intensity, showering them with billions of dollars’ worth of gifts, consulting fees and trips to persuade them to prescribe their drugs. Read more...

Recent Study Results as to the Cause of Vioxx Heart Risk
Researchers believe they have found what actually caused Vioxx to boost heart risks for persons taking the drug. As we all know, the pain reliever was taken off the market in 2004 because it was linked to a high risk of heart attack and stroke. Read more...

Merck Loses Bid for New Trial in New Jersey Vioxx Case
A New Jersey judge has upheld a $13.5 million verdict against drug maker Merck & Co. in a Vioxx case. The August 7th ruling by Atlantic County Superior Court Judge Carol Higbee denied Merck’s request for a new trial or a reduction in the verdict, which included punitive damages of $9 million. Read more...

Vioxx removed from the drug market
The manufacturer, Merck, withdrew Vioxx from the American market on September 30, 2004. Studies indicate that Vioxx can cause constriction of the blood vessels and can promote blood clotting, which can lead to acute heart attack or stroke. Read more...