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Merck Study On The Painkiller Drug Vioxx
Merck Study: No Increased Heart Risk in Year After Stopping Vioxx
According to drug maker Merck & Co., patients who used its painkiller drug Vioxx weren't at increased risk for stroke or heart attack a year after they stopped taking the drug.
The findings come from the study that led to the withdrawal of Vioxx from the market. This new data comes from a "preliminary safety analysis" of an additional year of follow-up, the Associated Press reported.
This follow-up, part of the original study plan, found no statistical difference in the rate of strokes and heart attacks among people who took Vioxx and those who took a placebo.
The study included a three-year treatment phase. In the 12 months after the end of the study, 28 patients who took Vioxx suffered heart attacks or strokes caused by blood clots, compared with 16 patients who'd been given a placebo, the AP reported.
"We believe that the data don't provide for a claim for a patient who had an event after they stopped taking their medicine," Merck general counsel Kenneth Frazier said during a conference call with reporters.
Merck is facing about 10,000 lawsuits over Vioxx.
Find out about your legal rights, contact a product liability lawyer near your to obtain a free case evaluation.
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