Lawyers representing Canadians who used the popular arthritis drug Vioxx filed a national class action lawsuit against Merck & Company on behalf of all patients who suffered from cardiovascular complications including heart attack and stroke.

Toronto law firm Rochon Genova LLP filed the lawsuit in Ontario Superior Court of Justice. Four other class actions have been commenced in Quebec, together with claims in British Columbia, Ontario and Saskatchewan.

Vioxx was pulled from all worldwide markets on September 30, 2004, after a study confirmed that it increases a patients’ risk of complications, including heart attack, stroke, angina, blood clots and congestive heart failure.

Reports in Canada surfaced in 2000 linking Vioxx to a series of associated complications, including increased risk of heart attack and other cardiovascular complications, as well as liver damage, kidney damage and lack of bone healing. The increased risk of cardiovascular disease among VIOXX users was made known to Merck in the 2000 study entitled: “VIOXX Gastrointestinal Outcomes Research” (VIGOR) study.

In 2003 IMS Health reported that there were over 3.4 million prescriptions for VIOXX in Canada last year, making it the 10th most prescribed drug in the country. It is estimated that over 700,000 Canadians have taken the drug to alleviate arthritis, acute pain and severe menstrual pain.

Merck is the world’s third largest drug maker. VIOXX accounted for $2.5 billion in sales in 2003. More than 2 million people take VIOXX worldwide.

(via PR Newswire)