Merck & Co. found liable for $253.4 million in Texas man's Vioxx-related death
{{date|August 19, 2005}}

Drug maker [[w:Merck & Co.|Merck & Co.]] was found liable for a person's death concerning the use of the pain medication [[w:Vioxx|Vioxx]], according to a jury verdict in a Texas court.  

The plaintiff's case, headed by the widow of Robert Ernst, who died in 2001 of an [[w:irregular heartbeat|irregular heartbeat]] and of clogged arteries while on the drug Vioxx, was successfully awarded $253.4 million dollars.  Vioxx was pulled from the shelves in 2004 after a study discovered it could double the risk of a [[w:heart attack|heart attack]] or [[w:stroke|stroke]] if taken for longer than 1.5 years. However, the US government agency, the FDA, decided in February of this year to allow the product back on the shelves.

Merck's stock price dropped 10% within minutes of the verdict being announced, and continued to fall hours after. There are in excess of 4,200 other Vioxx-related lawsuits pending across the USA. 

The company plans to appeal the decision.

== Sources ==

*{{source|url=http://forum.ohcnetwork.com/about777.html
|title=Vioxx back on the shelves
|author=Thais
|pub=Open Health Care Network
|date=February 26, 2005}}
*{{source|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/08/19/health/main788619.shtml
|title=Vioxx Maker Found Liable
|author=
|pub=CBS News
|date=August 19, 2005}}

*{{source|url=http://www.forbes.com/home/health/2005/08/19/merck-vioxx-verdict-cx_mh_0819vioxx.html
|title=Merck Loses First Vioxx Trial 
|author=Matthew Herper
|pub=Forbes
|date=August 19, 2005}}

*{{source|url=http://finance.yahoo.com/q?s=MRK
|title=Merck & Co Inc (MRK 
|author=Yahoo Finance
|pub=Yahoo
|date=August 19, 2005}}

*{{source|url=http://news.yahoo.com/fc/health/anti_inflammatory_drugs
|title=Jury Awards Widow $253.4M in Vioxx Trial 
|author={{w|AP}}
|pub=YahooNews
|date=August 19, 2005}}

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[[Category:North America]]
[[Category:United States]]
[[Category:Texas]]
[[Category:Crime and law]]
[[Category:Economy and business]]
[[Category:Science and technology]]
[[Category:Health]]
[[Category:Disasters and accidents]]
Drug maker Merck & Co. was found liable for a person's death concerning the use of the pain medication Vioxx, according to a jury verdict in a Texas court.  

The plaintiff's case, headed by the widow of Robert Ernst, who died in 2001 of an irregular heartbeat and of clogged arteries while on the drug Vioxx, was successfully awarded $253.4 million dollars.  Vioxx was pulled from the shelves in 2004 after a study discovered it could double the risk of a heart attack or stroke if taken for longer than 1.5 years. However, the US government agency, the FDA, decided in February of this year to allow the product back on the shelves.

Merck's stock price dropped 10% within minutes of the verdict being announced, and continued to fall hours after. There are in excess of 4,200 other Vioxx-related lawsuits pending across the USA. 

The company plans to appeal the decision.

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