Vioxx Class Action Lawsuit Filed Against Merck in Illinois

by Mario Lozano on October 7, 2004 · 19 comments

ILLINOIS – Attorneys for a Madison County resident on Tuesday announced the filing of a class action lawsuit against Merck & Company, alleging that the company defrauded consumers by promoting Vioxx as a safe painkiller.

The plaintiff claims that Merck has unfairly profited by overstating the superiority of Vioxx, while downplaying its dangers.

“Consumers paid excessively high prices for a drug that not only didn’t deliver better results than over-the-counter painkillers, but also put them at risk for serious side effects,” Plaintiff attorney Scott Hendler, founder of The Hendler Law Firm, said in a press release. “Merck has been aware of these dangers since at least 2000, but continued to aggressively market the drug until they could simply no longer get away with it.”

On September 30, 2004, Merck announced the withdraw of Vioxx from all markets worldwide after a study confirmed that it increases the risk of serious cardiovascular events, including heart attack and stroke.

Since Vioxx was introduced to the market in 1999 over 105 million prescriptions have been filled for about 20 million consumers in the United States. Worldwide sales of Vioxx in 2003 were $2.5 billion.

(via PR Newswire)

{ 19 comments }

1 john derby October 10, 2004 at 5:43 pm: I have been on Vioxx for over three years taking it daily and sometines twice a day. I came off of it 6 months ago when I underwent a full knee replacement. How do I become a part of the class action lawsuit against Vioxx? Any help/direction is most appreciated…John Derby
2 Ron Morrow October 12, 2004 at 6:53 am: I am in a similar situation as John. Please forward any information on this my way as well. scilynt@yahoo.com
3 Margaret Luttrell October 19, 2004 at 10:20 am: I have been on vioxx for several years. Ihad broken ribs and I thought I would never get them well, I still have some trouble with them at times.

I had trouble over another drug that was recalled I wish the goverment would check the pharmicutal companies more closely.

Margaret Luttrell
4 Kathy October 21, 2004 at 5:10 am: I need help to figure out what many of the damaging side effects are. My husband is a diabetic and I believe they will discount his claim because of the diabetes. Any suggestions
5 Amanda October 21, 2004 at 12:10 pm: I was giving vioxx when (2001)I was 16

for cramping pain’s caused from periods well I went off of it when I was 17 (2002) well I had talk to Becker law office and they told me they where looking for people who had heartattack or strokes and I had saver chest pain’s and shortness of breath and I felt dizzy and tired while on the med’s and if there is any other law suit’s for symptom’s could anyone please e-mail me at aaron _ amanda 2001 @ yahoo [dot] com
6 Rob X October 25, 2004 at 5:43 pm: Unfortunately for most of you, without any real injuries due to taking the drug, your chances are slim for getting those DOLLARS that the Lawyers are hustling for……..you need a case like mine….35 years old , in good health other than rheumatoid arthritis and taking vioxx for more that 18 months(4years)…..in january at the age of 34 I suffered an acute occipital lobe stroke…causing vison loss on the right side in both eyes…I also have an angiogram performed at the time that shows no evidence of heart disease…therefore being no other trigger for the stroke than the vioxx….NOW THATS A CASE…..I have had several lawyers vying for my attention…but screw them I got me a good local guy who took my case on contingency and will only be taking 30% of the bucket
7 Eric Anderson November 4, 2004 at 9:27 am: I was prescribed VIOXX from my physician early 2003 for lower back pain and disk inflamation. In late July I started to experience more back pain, within 2-3 days I was throwing up uncontrollably with severe back pain. I went to my physician and was sent to the hospital for urine and blood tests. The tests results indicated high uric acid levels and renal failure. My doctor prescibed allopurinol to lower the uric acid levels and several more lab tests throughout the next 2 weeks. My Physician also directed me to stop taking VIOXX immediately, which I did. For the next 2 weeks I lost over 50 pounds in weight and lost 3 weeks of work. In the 2nd week of my illness I was sent to renal specialist in which the doctor indicated that the most likely cause of the renal failure was the VIOXX was an allergic reaction in both my kidneys and some dehydration. No biopsy was taken, only blood and urine tests. Due to the VIOXX I suffer from time to time gout in my feet, I also need to take allopurinol 300 mg for the rest of my life to keep uric acid levels down. I was in excellent health, besides my lower back, before taking VIOXX. I am interested in joining any legal action against Merck.
8 yari Jeada November 10, 2004 at 3:29 pm: Vioxx damaged my kidneys–I never had a problem with them prior to taking Vioxx. I cannot find attorneys willing to file for kidney damage–any leads?
9 Robbin Hobdy November 20, 2004 at 8:12 am: I was placed on Vioxx twice for hip and joint pain. The first time was in 8/2002, and my doctor took me off of it due to it caused my blood pressure to increase. Then she place me back on Vioxx in Sept. 2004 for Hip and joint pain which I had to monitor my pressure, while on this medication my pressure stayed high 160/100 sometime even higher.
10 manjeet Singh November 23, 2004 at 11:01 am: I need help to fle a suit against Merck on Vioxx my Mother suffered due to that and had Death.
11 R. Hanson December 10, 2004 at 4:10 pm: Suffered blood clots in lungs in 6/03. Expected to recover from unknown cause. Taking Vioxx on 10/23/04 for pain. Still not recovered in 2004; continue with shortness of breath, but stopped Vioxx in 9/04. Can’t walk longer than a block without breathing problems. Weakness. Since stopped taking Vioxx have noticed improvement. Suspect it may have delayed recovery.
12 R. Hanson December 10, 2004 at 4:13 pm: Correction of dates:Suffered blood clots in lungs in 6/03. Expected to recover from unknown cause. Taking Vioxx on 10/23/03 for pain. Still not recovered in 2004; continue with shortness of breath, but stopped Vioxx in 9/04. Can’t walk longer than a block without breathing problems. Weakness. Since stopped taking Vioxx have noticed improvement. Suspect it may have delayed recovery.
13 L Johnston February 18, 2005 at 1:09 pm: My husband as been on Vioxx for more 3 years.

I took vioxx for 1 year.
14 jim February 22, 2005 at 9:49 am: how can I become part of lawsuit without paying 40% to a lawyer?
15 Sandra July 24, 2005 at 1:49 pm: Unfortunatly if you have not suffered from stroke or cardiovascular problems than there is not going to be a lawyer to take the lawsuit. I can not take COX-2 medication because I am alergic to any sulfa related drugs. Before I take any medications I always read the necessary information on them. There are drug books that have this information in them, mine is called The Pill Book. I try to purchase a new one every year due to new medications being brought on the market every year. It is our responsibility to read everything we can on medication given to us. Don’t count on your doctor or pharmacist to do this. One they are too busy with everything else going that it is impossible to make sure they inform us. Most drug stores give information when you purchase medication and they have been doing this for years. Plus with the internet we can get more information about them from the manufactures.
16 Toni Stauffer August 20, 2005 at 9:14 am: I’m outraged by the news that Merck & Co., has been ordered to pay $253 million in damages to the family of Robert Ernst who died after taking the pain killer Vioxx. I believe that the family deserves compensation, but $253 million worth? That’s completely insane.

This is why health care in America is in jeopardy. This is why my insurance won’t approve a medicine that my doctor prescribed, a medicine that will cost me $200 a month without my insurance. This is why all of our health care is so expensive and the costs just keep growing.

And this is just the beginning of the Vioxx lawsuits. If this much is awarded to one family, what about the other families? Wouldn’t they deserve just as much? I can see why the Merck stock has taken a nose dive. With these damages, they may not be around much longer. I do sympathize with families for their loss, please don’t think that I don’t, however, we need to take a look at the big picture here.
17 FRANK August 28, 2005 at 1:25 pm: JIM: YOU STATED YOU WANT TO FIND A LAWYER WHO WILL TAKE YOUR PLACE FOR UNDER 40%. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO EMAIL ME AND I WILL TELL YOU HOW.
18 Barbara B September 12, 2005 at 3:05 pm: Started taking Vioxx in 10/99 for joint pain”safer on stomach as apposed to aspirin”Fell in 4/01.Told by MD to double doseage and prescribed pain meds until appointment with neurosurgeon-end of July01! He prescribed steroids-plus other 2RX’s I was already taking.Tests scheduled followind week concerning fall. 3 days later stomach ruptured.Critical condition-intensive care for weeks-not expected to live. Can no longer take by mouth steroids,aspirin and 2 other needed RX’s due to rupture-ulcer.Have found attorneys are only interested in stroke,heart cases.How do I know I do not have these problems due to taking Vioxx for such a long time? ER doctor will confirm cause of stomach rupture. Any St. Louis MO attorneys?
19 Pat Hatcher October 30, 2005 at 1:58 pm: I am looking for an attorney for a lawsuit against Merck. I suffered a left nephrectory in 1/2001 after taking Vioxx for > 18 months. I can only locate attorneys interested in heart attack or stroke victims. HELP!