Why did Merck withdraw Vioxx?
Vioxx was withdrawn from the market based on studies that showed patients taking Vioxx had an increased risk of getting heart attacks and strokes. Patients who took Vioxx in the study had an increased risk of these cardiovascular problems, after using the drug for 18 months. This study contradicted Merck’s earlier claim that the drug was safe. For example, on May 22, 2001, Merck distributed a misleading news release, entitled “Merck Confirms Favorable Cardiovascular Safety Profile of Vioxx.” Several other clinical studies also established that Vioxx increased patients’ risk of strokes and heart attack: • In 2001, a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association concluded that Vioxx patients were at twice the normal risk of strokes and heart attacks as people taking an older medication. • In October 2002, a Vanderbilt University study of Medicaid patients taking high doses of Vioxx in Tennessee found that they suffered significantly more heart attacks and strokes tha
