Vioxx, the implosion of Merck, and aftershocks at the FDA

Vioxx, the implosion of Merck, and aftershocks at the FDA

“Investigations by the Wall Street Journal have revealed e-mails that confirm Merck executives’ knowledge of their drug’s adverse cardiovascular profile-the risk was “clearly there”, according to one senior researcher. Merck’s marketing literature included a document intended for its sales representatives which discussed how to respond to questions about Vioxx-it was labelled “Dodge Ball Vioxx”. Given this disturbing contradiction- Merck’s own understanding of Vioxx’s true risk profile and its attempt to gloss over these risks in their public statements at the time-it is hard to see how Merck’s chief executive officer, Raymond Gilmartin, can retain the confidence of the public, his company’s most important constituency.”