VIOXX INJURIES AND CLAIMS

Vioxx, a prescription painkiller manufactured by Merck & Co., Inc., has been voluntarily withdrawn from the market because it has been found to increase the risk of heart attack and stroke in patients who use it.  Vioxx was commonly prescribed for the treatment of arthritis pain, menstrual pain and other types of acute pain in adults.  People who suffered heart attacks, strokes, or other cardiovascular problems while using Vioxx may have claims against Merck to recover damages for their injuries.  If you believe you may have suffered an injury related to your use of Vioxx please do not hesitate to contact the lawyers at the New Haven, CT law firm of Jacobs, Grudberg, Belt, Dow & Katz P.C. at Email Us for a free evaluation of your claim.

Vioxx, generic name rofecoxib, is a member of a new class of painkillers known as cox-2 inhibitors.  Other commonly prescribed cox-2 inhibitors are Bextra and Celebrex, both manufactured by Pfizer.  One study, done by University of Pennsylvania and presented by Dr. Garrett FitzGerald,  has implicated Bextra in an increased rate of heart attacks, strokes and other cardiovascular injuries.  Scientists are now studying whether the cox-2 painkillers, as a class of drugs, cause these types of injuries. If you have suffered a heart attack or stroke while taking Celebrex, Bextra or any other cox-2 inhibitor please contact our injury attorneys for a case assessment.

Vioxx is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID).  It was approved for use in the United States by the Food and Drug Administration in May, 1999.  It became popular because it only needed to be taken once a day and was said to be kinder and gentler to the stomach than other NSAIDs.  Vioxx works by inhibiting your body’s production of an enzyme called cyclooxygenase-2, or “cox-2.”  Because Vioxx inhibits production of cox-2, your body produces fewer inflammatory prostaglandins, which are believed to cause pain and inflammation. 

Commencing in August, 2001, scientific papers began to question the relationship between use of Vioxx and an increased risk of heart attack and stroke in patients who took the drug.  The American Heart Association and others called upon Merck to study this problem.  However, Merck played down the risk reported by others.  In September, 2001, the Food and Drug Administration sent Merck a Warning Letter http://www.fda.gov/cder/warn/2001/9456.pdf, accusing Merck of publishing deceptive information about the safety of Vioxx and promoting the drug for unapproved uses.  Despite the Warning Letter, in April, 2002 the FDA approved Vioxx for use in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Evidence continued to mount that Vioxx could cause serious heart problems in patients who took it.  On September 30, 2004, Merck voluntarily took Vioxx off the market.

If you or a loved one have taken Vioxx and suffered a heart attack, a stroke or other cardiovascular problems, you may have a products liability claim against Merck.  For more information about such claims and a free assessment of your case, please do not hesitate to contact us.