Merck Agrees to Pay $4.85 Billion for Vioxx Claims - New York Times

Huge settlement, but only represents less than one year's profits...in perspective...BD

Three years after withdrawing its pain medication Vioxx from the market, Merck announced today that it will pay $4.85 billion to settle 27,000 lawsuits by people who contend they or their family members suffered injury or died after taking the drug. The settlement, one of the largest ever in civil litigation, comes after nearly 20 Vioxx civil trials over the last two years from New Jersey to California. After losing a $253 million verdict in the first case, Merck has won most of the rest of the cases that reached juries, giving plaintiffs little choice but to settle. The settlement will help put Vioxx behind Merck, as well as sharply reduce its Vioxx-related legal defense fees, which are now running at more than $600 million annually.

The settlement does not end the government investigations that Merck faces, which include both civil and criminal inquires from several states and the Justice Department.