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New Jersey Vioxx Lawyer

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Vioxx is considered a non-steroidal, anti-inflammatory drug. It is designed to relieve pain suffered from acute arthritis and severe menstrual cramping. It is commonly referred by its generic name, Rofecoxib. Merck & Co., makers of the pain medication, took in approximately $2.5 billion dollars from Vioxx sales. However, this amount was insignificant compared to the amounts executives would later spend in reparations from this product.

Based on clinical studies conducted by the pharmaceutic company that were later speculated as fraudulent the FDA approved the drug for public use in 1999. Years later, the FDA would discover that Merck & Co. withheld significant information from the studies they conducted. Data was manipulated, and information obtained was presented in a way that was misleading to observers. By 2004, studies funded primarily by the FDA would prove that patients using Vioxx have a 50 percent higher chance of experiencing cardiovascular complications after 18 months of use. The study also revealed that these health risks increased with age. In particular, individuals over the age of 65 held the highest risks for injuries and death resulting from cardiac arrests. Most of this information, however, was deceitfully kept from the public. Not only did the pharmaceutical company face liability claims, but they also would soon face charges of fraud and negligence.

Further research in recent years on the effects of this drug have uncovered more startling information. Studies indicate that, in some patients, heart attacks can occur within the first two weeks the drug is taken. In September of 2004, Merck & Co. executives voluntarily withdrew the drug from the market after an earlier meeting with the FDA concerning health concerns. By this time, however, over 20 million Americans were using the drugs and suffering the consequences unknowingly. The FDA soon released a public health advisory concerning the health risks of Vioxx.

Merck & Co. spent an estimated $4.85 billion dollars in settlement costs for personal injury and product liability claims against them. Moreover, the company faced charges of fraudulence for attempting to deceive the federal government and American people. Many lawsuits are still pending, and Vioxx victims hope to gain compensation for losses and deaths of family members. No sum, however, can make up for the damages caused by the malpractice of this pharmaceutical company.

Product liability laws are on your side. A manufacturer is legally obligated to disclose the risks of its product, especially if it is advertising a medicine. The risk of potentially fatal heart problems was hardly worth the pain relief, and if doctors and patients were informed about this risk, Vioxx would not have been prescribed so commonly. By keeping this information hidden from the public for these years, Merck was committing an unethical and illegal act. A Vioxx attorney is not only well versed in product liability law, but is also an expert on Vioxx. If you were an unfortunate victim of Merck's false advertising, there is no one better to turn to than a Vioxx lawyer.

Whenever a company withholds product information from the public deliberately, with the goal of increasing profits, legal action must be taken. Contacting an attorney to walk you through litigation processes is a step in the right direction. One should never have to endure legal responsibilities alone. Yet, it is important for you to act quickly, since there are time restrictions to adhere to. While they vary by state, statute of limitations laws prohibit one from filing a product liability or personal injury claim after a specific amount of time has lapsed. In the state of New Jersey, these claims must be filed within two years. This time frame is particularly shorter than most states, so it is even more crucial to act quickly. Pharmaceutical giants should never be given any advantages, particularly after committing such unethical acts and putting people' s lives at risk. Allow a qualified attorney to handle your case, ensuring you gain compensation for these unjustified acts.