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Maine Vioxx Lawyer

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Vioxx was a revolutionary medication that debuted in 1999; it was prescribed to treat arthritis pain, painful menstrual cramps and acute pain in adults. In its first few months on the market, it was prescribed to hundreds of thousands of ailing patients, who hoped that Vioxx would live up to its hype as the next best thing in arthritis pain management. Vioxx's manufacturer, Merck & Co., launched a multi-million dollar advertising campaign that caught the eye of everyone who saw it even if they didn't have arthritis, or even know what the drug was for. Vioxx was swiftly pushed through the FDA approval process, despite reports from independent research companies stating that it had some severe long-term effects. These reports were quickly brushed aside, as Vioxx became the most popular prescription drug on the market in a matter of weeks.

The pill worked well for arthritis sufferers; it was the first drug in years that did what it was supposed to do. For some, it was their first truly pain-free period in years. It is no wonder that by 2003, Vioxx made up 10 percent of Merck's total revenue stream at over 2.3 billion dollars. However, it seems that the drug company turned a blind eye while reaping the rewards of such astronomical sales. What Vioxx users were unaware of was the fact that Vioxx increased the chance of having a stroke, heart attack or blood clot. These findings were part of the study done before its release, but were not disclosed or reported widely to the public. There were even reports that Merck knew about these effects and actively withheld the information, to keep Vioxx on the market. As more and more cases of heart attack and stroke became linked to Vioxx use, the public grew wary of taking the drug. Merck conducted an internal trial in an attempt to disprove these findings, but were unsuccessful: they also found the link between Vioxx and heart problems to be true. Merck pulled Vioxx from the market and halted production on September 30th, 2004.

Unfortunately, Merck's negligence and unethical business practices caused the deaths of 30,000 people in the years that Vioxx was on the market. Thousands of people are still feeling its effects, and are suffering the same problems even years later. Lawsuits began to be filed against Merck shortly after the recall was announced, and many are still going on today. 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.

Merck has set aside almost one billion dollars for fighting these lawsuits. While no amount of money will fix what has been done, you can secure the financial future of your family. Get in contact with a local Maine lawyer who is experienced with lawsuits and litigation regarding defective pharmaceuticals and similar cases. There are still ongoing lawsuits against Merck, even years later. The lives lost due to the use of Vioxx could have been prevented before the drug's initial launch in 1999. However, the drug was still approved by the Food and Drug Administration, despite the warning signs. If you are a resident of Maine and have taken the drug Vioxx, it would be in your best interest to contact an attorney, especially if you or a loved one has suffered a heart attack, blood clot or stroke because of the use of prescription Vioxx. A Maine Vioxx lawyer or attorney will be able to handle your claim and to tell you what monetary compensation you may be owed to the negligence of Merck & Co. Get the peace of mind and compensation you deserve, and hire a lawyer today.