The Vioxx era comes to an end, but the pain of survivors goes on

Ten years.

That’s how long it took to finally close the book on Vioxx, Merck’s notoriously dangerous arthritis drug.

In the autumn of 2001 I first told you about the discovery that Merck executives had apparently hidden some of the drug’s most deadly side effects from the FDA while racking up several billion dollars in sales.

Then, just days ago, the Vioxx era ended with the announcement that Merck had agreed to pay out nearly $1 billion in civil and criminal fines to finally close the book on the fiasco that made the word “Vioxx” synonymous with Big Pharma greed and negligence.

One billion. That’s a significant loss for any corporation. But it actually amounts to a pretty sweet deal for Merck executives. It could have been so much worse.

For instance, those executives weren’t among the thousands of people who lost loved ones to fatal heart attacks or strokes while taking Vioxx. Mothers, fathers, sons and daughters — gone forever. Families destroyed.

Families that I’m willing to bet would say that $1 billion is a small price to pay for causing the loss of a priceless loved one.

As usual, the drug company comes out on top.

Sources:
“Merck to pay $950M in Vioxx marketing settlement” Fierce Pharma, 11/23/11, fiercepharma.com