Vioxx…More to the Story.

On July 14, 2005, opening arguments were given in Ernst v. Merck, the first Vioxx®-related lawsuit to reach a jury. Mark Lanier represented the widow of Robert Ernst, who died in May 2001 at age 59, after taking Vioxx® for 8 months. The coroner's report indicated that Ernst died of an arrhythmia. Lanier pointed out that the Merck Manual of Medical Information states that arrhythmias are associated with heart attacks 90% of the time (Keller, 2005). The trial was held in Angleton, Texas, with the 23rd District Court Judge Ben Hardin presiding. After 5 weeks of testimony, the jury realized not only how early Merck knew of the cardiovascular effects of Vioxx® but how they continued to aggressively market the drug despite these devastating effects. A seven-man, five-woman jury deliberated for 10 1/2 hours over 2 days before returning a verdict for the plaintiff. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]