Vioxx was a product of the Merck pharmaceutical company, the brand name of the drug rofecoxib. It was a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) and was used to relieve pain from arthritis and other acute pain conditions. The Food and Drug Administration approved it in May 1999.

At its peak, Vioxx was being prescribed to more than 80 million people around the world. Doctors were glad to prescribe it, as patients reported it was highly effective and had minimal side effects. While other NSAIDs often damaged the stomach lining, Vioxx and drugs like it were specially designed not to do that. The idea was that there are two kinds of enzymes at play, COX-1 and COX-2. COX-1 helps produce the material that lines the stomach, which is good; COX-2 helps produce pain and inflammation, which is generally bad. Previous NSAIDs attacked all the COX varieties, including the stomach-lining kind, which is why taking aspirin can lead to ulcers. Vioxx and its kind were created to target COX-2 only and leave COX-1 alone.

It seemed like a marvelous solution, and for millions it was. Many patients reported their arthritis pain was relieved, and without the usual side effects of anti-inflammation drugs.

But soon questions arose concerning Vioxx’s long-term effects. There was evidence that it increased the risk of heart attacks and strokes when used regularly in large doses over a long period of time which is exactly how some patients had to take it.

Several studies were done by the FDA and other groups, all scrutinizing Vioxx and its competitors. Some of the initial studies that had led to the drug being approved by the FDA were shown to be misleading, incomplete, or questionable. Merck continued to deny any wrongdoing, but they were continually being pressured by the government.

In September 2004, Merck voluntarily took Vioxx off the market. It was one of the most widely used drugs ever to be withdrawn from public consumption: Merck had made more than $2.5 billion on it in the previous 12 months alone.

The lawsuits began almost immediately. By pulling the drug off the market, Merck was perceived as conceding that the drug was harmful, which helped many plaintiffs make their cases. Merck continued to fight the lawsuits, but the writing was on the wall and the damage was done. Vioxx turned into a costly disaster for the Merck company, and the question for the courts now is whether Merck should have been more diligent about testing Vioxx before marketing it, or whether the unfortunate side effects were in fact unforeseeable.

If you took Vioxx during the time it was available, then you should pay careful attention to your options now. If you suffered a heart attack during that time or since then, or if you have experienced other heart problems, stroke, or similar complications, then you should consult with an attorney at once. It is entirely possible that Vioxx was the cause of it. Thousands of people have already filed lawsuits, and many have been victorious in the fight against Merck for selling a harmful drug.

You may not have had any problems so far. But evidence is mounting to indicate that taking Vioxx increases a person’s risk for heart disease, stroke, etc.You should have your doctor give you a complete physical, to see if long-term damage has been done to your heart and cardiovascular system. If you are now at greater risk for heart attack than you were before, then Vioxx may be to blame.

Filing a lawsuit may seem like a distressing event, but you need to act as soon as possible in order to get the compensation deserved, so call a lawyer now.