Why is Merck facing allegations that it coveredup information about Vioxx side effects?
Pharmaceutical giant Merck has faced allegations that it hid or tried to cover up information indicating dangerous side effects of its pain drug Vioxx. In 2000, when its studies began to show evidence of heart risks, Merck reported the findings to the FDA. Additional information from a Merck-funded study led to the company’s decision to recall Vioxx. What it did not do was include the 2000 study’s indication of problems in the data on risks that its sales force showed to doctors and other prospective customers.
