Merck's Vioxx Under Fire Again
A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine suggests that Vioxx heightens the risk of cardiovascular problems faster than Merck (MRK Quote) says it does.
The study, which contains several caveats, raises questions about Merck's assertion that cardiovascular risks were statistically significant only after patients took the arthritis drug for more than 18 months. Several critics have challenged Merck's conclusions about Vioxx, which was removed from the market in September 2004.
Vioxx therapy "was associated with an increased frequency of adverse cardiovascular events among patients with a median treatment of 7.4 months' duration," says the article, published Wednesday online by NEJM. The article uses data from a Merck-sponsored study that was halted after the company withdrew Vioxx. ...
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