Healthy Skepticism Library item: 13377

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Publication type: Journal Article

Charatan F.
94% of patients suing Merck over rofecoxib agree to company's offer.
BMJ 2008 Mar 15; 336:(7644):580-1
http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/extract/336/7644/580

Abstract:

A large enough proportion of the litigants suing Merck after taking the drug rofecoxib (Vioxx) have agreed to the terms of the company’s offer to allow the settlement to go ahead.

Eighty five per cent of claimants had to agree to the settlement to proceed, and by the beginning of this month 94% (44 000 of the 47 000) had done so. The company announced in November a settlement worth $4.85bn (£2.41bn; 3.15bn).

The individual awards, estimated at $150 000 to $200 000 on average, will be calculated in a three step process to assess the severity of injuries. Plaintiffs must provide evidence of a heart attack or ischaemic stroke; proof that they received at least 30 rofecoxib pills; and evidence that they took at least one of the pills within 14 days of injury.

Merck withdrew rofecoxib, which averaged $2.5bn in annual sales, in September 2004 (BMJ 2004;329:816; . . .

Keywords:
Publication Types: News MeSH Terms: Cyclooxygenase 2 Inhibitors/adverse effects* Drug Industry/legislation & jurisprudence* Humans Lactones/adverse effects* Liability, Legal Myocardial Infarction/chemically induced* Sulfones/adverse effects* Substances: Cyclooxygenase 2 Inhibitors Lactones Sulfones rofecoxib