Posted on 08/22/2005 5:24:05 AM PDT by OESY
In the battle between sound science and the trial bar, it was probably too much to hope that Merck would win the lawsuit whose verdict came down Friday. There was no direct causal link between Vioxx and the arrythmia that the autopsy showed had caused the death of a Texas man whose wife brought the suit. The only evidence for such a link was the speculation from the medical examiner that Vioxx had caused a heart attack that she had not been able to detect and had not bothered to put on the death certificate.
But no matter. This was a Texas court, and the fact that Merck had fought hard for the drug's approval and later withdrew it from the market was sufficient to incriminate it. A jury whose members said they wanted to punish Merck found the company liable and awarded $253.4 million in damages.
The size of the award will be knocked down under Texas's cap on punitive damages, and it's always possible Merck will win on appeal. But the loss in a suit many had expected it to win is terrible news for the company, whose stock fell 7.7% in response, and bad news for other Cox-2 pain relievers and drug research generally.
At the very least, Merck's setback is sure to inspire more suits beyond the 4,200 that have already been filed in state and federal court....
The verdict is also more bad news for the millions of Americans who suffer from the kind of chronic pain for which stomach-friendly Cox-2 inhibitors like Vioxx provide welcome relief. Before Vioxx, Celebrex and other Cox-2 inhibitors, patients relied on pain medications like aspirin and ibuprofen, which are harder for some to tolerate. There are 15,000-plus deaths a year from gastrointestinal bleeding....
(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...
I'm so happy over this verdict, because Merck needs to be punished. By "Merck" I mean the anthropomorphic Merck that exists only in my liberal psychosis. The one that consists of a cabal of rich white guys with cigars and pinstriped suits, meeting late at night, to scheme ways to hide the truth from the pubic in order to make more money.
Not the Merck that exists of hardworking people trying to create medicines that extend life and ease suffering. Not the Merck that is shareholders, the retired couple from Lancaster who are going to take a huge hit because the stock price falls.
Yes, that will teach that "Merck" a lesson. Hit those rich fat cats right where it hurts, in that big aligator leather billfold. To hell with anyone who needs Vioxx to help ease chronic pain or people foolish enough to invest in an evil corporation.
Owl_Eagle
(If what I just wrote makes you sad or angry,
I appreciate your sarcasm & points....sure miss the Bextra which I used to take...the ibuprofen doesn't work as well...
Vioxx has made my arthritis livable. Don't use it all the time, tho.
You can be sure that the fat cat lawyers will find a way to get their pain killers, even if they have to fly their Lear Jets to China to get them.
"Vioxx has made my arthritis livable. Don't use it all the time, tho."
I want to try it, but I thought they took it off the market.
Heh-heh. Owl_Eagle said "pubic".
Why should a doc risk his life's work to relieve your pain?
This system was created by the lawyers and thier greedy clients, and their spiteful pets in the jury box. So, America, suffer.
LOL, good catch! Dam spiel checker...
Owl_Eagle
(If what I just wrote makes you sad or angry,
This whole Vioxx lawsuit is a scam. Nothing but a scam. And for people like my wife who depended on it, she is in pain all the time again.
Thanks. They've had me on these NSAIDs that aren't good for my giblets.
Thanks. They've had me on these NSAIDs that aren't good for my giblets.
A man's giblets must be protected at all costs.
This is why I think they need to take away the award part from a jury and give it to a judge or arbitrator.
And .. to hell with the "it's your responsibility" as a person to understand the medications you're being given - and the risks involved.
I've opted several times to stop taking medications because I didn't like some of the effects. Then .. I've had some chronic problems with sinus infections and I went to a good ear, nose and throat guy. But .. when he gave me the sample medicine to try - it had this little brochure inside - I READ IT - the possibility of reactions from the nose spray WERE TWICE AS BAD AS THE OCCASIONAL SINUS PROBLEMS.
I called the doctor and told him I didn't want to take the risk - I'd rather put up with the occasional sinus problems.
People want these drugs to magically get rid of their problems, without realizing they are responsible for understanding the risks.
Right now I have to take a statin drug for cholesterol. Since my dad died at 42 of clogged arties .. I've chosen to take the risk that the statin drugs will not cause me worse problems. Even now, my doctor is trying to work out a stricter diet plan .. and vitamins or natural substances like Omega3 and others which he hopes will eventually allow me to stop taking the statin drugs.
I would go further. All of these lawsuits, makes everyones life harder and more expensive.
We are long past need for reform in our legal system.
Perhaps the first step would be to limit what a lawyer gets from any settlement.
Second, there must be actual proof that the person being sued was a direct cause of the pain and suffering and not just a deep pocket.
Third, losers pay. And I would carry that one step further, if a lawyer or a law firm continued to lose, I would revoke their license to practice law.
As it is now, it is like a lottery for lawyers, they are out little if they lose, but can can big time when they "win".
Ditto the napricin in Aleve for pain. My tummy just can't take it.
I can't take that either .. but my mom takes it and it works great for her arthritus.
Gee, I thought that is what "liability" means. Some lawyer has changed the meaning so fit their need/case. Tsk...tsk.....SOME THINGS never change!
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