Vioxx Lawyers

Tulsa, Norman, Edmond, Oklahoma City, and McAlester, Oklahoma

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ioxx was a pain medication prescribed to people with osteoarthritis and other chronic and acute pains. Originally conceived and approved as a second-line non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) for those who experienced stomach and other gastrointestinal difficulties when taking ibuprofen and aspirin, Vioxx was aggressively marketed by its manufacturer Merck to both doctors and patients so that it soon became one of the top prescription pain medications in the world. As many as 84 million people worldwide were prescribed Vioxx at the height of its popularity, and thousands of heart attacks and deaths may be attributed to this defective drug.

The Risks

Merck's own study completed shortly after approval revealed that people taking Vioxx had a 4-fold increase in heart attacks compared to those taking another NSAID, but Merck chose to believe and told the Food and Drug Administration that the other drug had protective effects, not that Vioxx was dangerous. The results indicating the dangers of Vioxx were omitted from the published version of the study.

Then, when another study, intended to prove that Vioxx could be marketed for treatment of another condition, revealed risks of heart attack and stroke among people taking Vioxx, were nearly doubled. Since then, more studies have confirmed that taking Vioxx had deadly consequences for people taking it.

The Lawsuits

When it came out not only that Vioxx was dangerous, but that Merck had reason to believe it was dangerous before approval and shortly after, but downplayed the danger at the same time it ran its aggressive marketing campaign, those who were injured began to seek compensation for their injuries. Tens of thousands of lawsuits were filed, which Merck vowed to fight. It fought many of them, and won significant victories, but then, suddenly, on November 9, 2007, Merck reversed its course and offered a $4.85 billion settlement that would take effect if 85 % or more of plaintiffs in all pending lawsuits over Vioxx injuries agreed to it, and it could be shown that the plaintiff suffered a heart attack or ischemic stroke within 14 days after taking a Vioxx tablet.

The settlement has now taken effect, and the fate of outstanding Vioxx lawsuits is questionable. However, new studies have shown that Vioxx risks go on for much longer than anyone previously suspected, and preknowledge of this may have led Merck to offer the settlement.

Your Injury

If you or a loved one was taking Vioxx and suffered a heart attack while taking the medication or after taking it, you may be eligible for compensation. To learn whether you have a case, schedule a defective drug consultation with the pharmaceutical injury lawyers at Stipe, Harper, Laizure, Uselton, Belote, Maxcey, & Thetford today.

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McAlester Office
343 E. Carl Albert Pkwy.
McAlester, OK 74501

Phone: (918) 423-0421
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Tulsa, OK 74170

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Disclaimer: The information contained throughout this site is meant to generally inform the reader about our areas of practice, including pharmaceutical injury. This information is not meant to be taken as legal advice and nothing on this site establishes a lawyer / client relationship. Our accident lawyers provide legal assistance in the Tulsa area including Oklahoma City, McAlester and Norman, Oklahoma.