Derek Lowe speculates that the NEJM’s Expression of Concern is legally motivated:
Could it be that the plaintiff’s attorneys, while questioning Gregory Curfman, mentioned that there could be more targets for litigation than just Merck? You run a prestigious journal there. . .probably influenced a lot of physicians to prescribe Vioxx, eh? Didn’t see anything odd in the cardiovascular data, you say? Why, that’s nearly a tort right there. . . I don’t like to think that this is what happened. But it’s not impossible, either. The journal’s actions look like those of an organization that fears the legal discovery process. And why would you fear that, unless you fear that you’ll be sued?
