Yesterday's hung jury could be bad news for Merck since analysts expected a positive outcome in the company's first federal Vioxx case. Federal courts are more business-friendly, which should have worked in Merck's favor. More importantly though, the case in question involved the death of a short-term Vioxx user, Richard "Dicky" Irvin, who died after he took the drug for only 22 days. A single juror refused to rule in favor of Merck despite the fact that Vioxx was found to increase the risk of heart attacks in long-term users. Merck has maintained that there was no risk associated with short-term use of the pain medication.
- read this article [1] from the Houston Chronicle for more reaction to the mistrial
ALSO: The FDA is seeking more information on Merck's rotavirus vaccine for children. Report [2]
Links:
[1] http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/3520664.html
[2] http://www.thestreet.com/_tscrss/stocks/biotech/10256773.html