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Maryland Vioxx Lawyer

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Vioxx was a popular prescription drug in a series of medications that was considered to be the new generation of arthritis medicines. Arthritis is the painful swelling of joints throughout the body. There are several types of arthritis that can cause people to suffer from arthritis pain, and symptoms of arthritis can range from moderate to crippling. Unfortunately, arthritis usually worsens with age. Vioxx was supposed to be the new miracle drug for arthritis sufferers. Vioxx was considered a COX 2 inhibitor, which is a powerful anti-inflammatory drug a step up from naproxen and ibuprofen. Vioxx was prescribed most commonly to treat arthritis pain, painful menstrual cramps and acute pain in adults. This new generation of arthritis medications were said to alleviate arthritis pain without any of the harmful side effects associated with the medicines before it.

However, many people did experience side effects, and they were worse than anyone could have imagined. A year and a half following the drug's release, reports started popping up from around the country about people suffering from heart attacks, strokes and cardiac arrest linked to Vioxx usage. The FDA was quickly alerted to these reports and launched an investigation into Vioxx and similar drugs.

Many Vioxx users reported common side effects that were less severe in nature, including respiratory infections and inflammation, diarrhea, nausea, and swelling. Harsher side effects included liver problems, allergic reactions, acute kidney failure, worsening of chronic kidney failure, and bleeding of the stomach and intestine. The possibility of these side effects was not disclosed by Merck, the maker of Vioxx, to patients or doctors. In some cases, Vioxx caused deaths which could have been prevented.

In 1999, before the approval of Vioxx, the University of Pennsylvania reported that the use of Vioxx was in close correlation to an elevated chance of suffering from a heart attack. However, after this report was made, the Food and Drug Administration still approved Vioxx for public use. It was not until several studies later that Merck and Company conducted their own clinical trial. During their trial it was proven that within eighteen months, some Vioxx users suffered from a stroke, heart attack or blood clot. If these side effects were left untreated, they resulted in hospitalization or death. Merck voluntarily recalled Vioxx in September 2004. The Vioxx situation has become one of the most notorious and discussed drug recalls in history.

Shortly after the recall, news surfaced that Merck knew of the dangers of Vioxx well before they released the drug, and hid their knowledge from doctors, regulators and the public. Angry patients wasted no time in filing lawsuits against Merck for its negligence in the situation. A woman in Texas was awarded a huge sum because she was able to link her husband's heart attack to his Vioxx usage. She was able to get help with hospital bills, lost wages and a large sum for punitive damages. If you have suffered injury or loss of a loved one due to Vioxx, you might also be able to receive a large settlement in return for you pain, suffering and loss.

While no amount of money can fix the damage that has been done, you can secure the financial future of your family. Get in contact with a local Maryland Vioxx lawyer who is experienced with lawsuits and litigation regarding defective pharmaceuticals and similar cases. There are still ongoing lawsuits against Merck, even years later. Get the peace of mind and compensation you deserve. Do not let yourself be just another victim on the long list of Vioxx users. Stand up to the drug companies and force them to hold a higher-standard for the use and marketing of prescription medications. Everyone should be able to trust that the medicine their doctor prescribes them will not cause such harmful side effects such as death. If you are a resident of the state of Maryland and have unfairly suffered from the use of Vioxx, contact an experienced lawyer or attorney today.