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Wall Street Journal Reports:

Vioxx Reponsible for 27,785 Heart Attacks & Merck was Aware of Risks

Two reports by the Wall Street Journal have shed light on the frequency of Vioxx side effects and what Merck actually knew about the drug's dangers. The first report was printed on October 5, 2004. The report stated that Vioxx was responsible for more than 27,000 heart attacks and sudden cardiac deaths before Merck decided to recall the drug. The Wall Street Journal report cited an unreleased study of Vioxx side effects by government regulators.

A second report by the Wall Street Journal was printed on November 1, 2004 that claimed documents exist that show that Merck hid or denied evidence for years that its blockbuster arthritis drug Vioxx causes heart problems. The report detailed specific emails and correpsondence that showed that Merck executives clearly knew about the risk of heart attack and stroke.

The report mentions a March 9, 2000 e-mail from Merck research director Edward Scolnick to colleagues conceding an elevated risk of heart attack and stroke was “clearly there." However Merck continued to try to discredit academic researchers critical of Vioxx. The Journal also reported that one training document from Merck listed potentially difficult questions about the drug and stated in capital letters, “DODGE!”

The November 1, 2004 report caused Merck shares, that were already down significantly, to drop another 10 percent as it is perceived that the company's liability for Vioxx could be huge. Additionally, Standard & Poor’s placed Merck on CreditWatch with negative implications, which sends a strong signal that the company’s debt could be downgraded within the next three months.

Vioxx Recall Timeline
Lancet Says Vioxx Should Have Been Recalled in 2000