94% of patients suing Merck over rofecoxib agree to terms of company's offer.

The article reports on a decision from 94% of patients suing Merck to accept a settlement agreement which the company offered to them. The litigants sued Merck as a result of developing side effects from the company's drug Vioxx. Merck announced the $4.98 billion settlement in November of 2007, and indicated that individual awards contained within it would range on average from $150,000 to $200,000. To receive the awards litigants must provide evidence of a Vioxx related heart attack or stroke, proof that they received at least thirty Vioxx pills, and evidence that they took at least one pill prior to their medical event.