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Report: Merck Tried to Bury Vioxx Concerns for Years

Report: Merck Tried to Bury Vioxx Concerns for Years -- Posted by Roman Bystrianyk on 11-01-04 09:02

http://www.healthsentinel.com/news.php?event=news_print_list_item&id=364

"Report: Merck Tried to Bury Vioxx Concerns for Years", Reuters,
November 1, 2004,
Link: http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=healthNews&storyID=6675039

Internal e-mails and other documents from Merck & Co. show the company
fought for years to keep safety concerns from undermining the drug's
commercial prospects, the Wall Street Journal reported on Monday.

Vioxx, a drug known as a COX-2 inhibitor, was withdrawn from the
market after it was shown to double the risk of heart attack and
stroke in patients who had been taking it for at least 18 months.
Vioxx generated some $2.5 billion in annual sales, and its withdrawal
pummeled Merck's shares.

On Monday, the Journal reported that an e-mail dated March 9, 2000,
suggested Merck recognized that something in Vioxx was linked to
increased heart risk.

Edward Scolnick, Merck research chief at the time, wrote in the e-mail
that cardiovascular events "are clearly there" and called it a
"shame."

Although Scolnick compared Vioxx with other drugs with known side
effects and wrote, "there is always a hazard," the company's public
statements continued to reject the link between Vioxx and increased
intrinsic risk.

Ted Mayer, a lawyer representing Merck, told the journal that the
e-mails and marketing materials were "taken out of context" and "do
not accurately represent the conduct of Merck and its employees."

But a memorandum dated Nov. 21, 1996, by a Merck official illustrated
that the company wrestled with Vioxx's potential to induce a cardiac
event, the report said. Another e-mail highlighted the possibility
that patients could suffer blood clots unless they were also given
aspirin.

Those documents may be used in ongoing litigation against the company.

On Friday, Merck -- citing documents that had been made public --
issued a statement saying that it acted "responsibly and
appropriately" in developing and marketing Vioxx.

It was not immediately clear if it was referring to those obtained by
the Journal, and a company representative was not immediately
available to comment early Monday.

Re: Report: Merck Tried to Bury Vioxx Concerns for Years -- Posted by Mark Probert on 11-01-04 09:35

A criminal investigation should commence forthwith.

"Roman Bystrianyk" wrote in message
news:4f28e591.0411010902.582d609e@posting.google.com...
> http://www.healthsentinel.com/news.php?event=news_print_list_item&id=364
>
> "Report: Merck Tried to Bury Vioxx Concerns for Years", Reuters,
> November 1, 2004,
> Link:
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=healthNews&storyID=6675039
>
> Internal e-mails and other documents from Merck & Co. show the company
> fought for years to keep safety concerns from undermining the drug's
> commercial prospects, the Wall Street Journal reported on Monday.
>
> Vioxx, a drug known as a COX-2 inhibitor, was withdrawn from the
> market after it was shown to double the risk of heart attack and
> stroke in patients who had been taking it for at least 18 months.
> Vioxx generated some $2.5 billion in annual sales, and its withdrawal
> pummeled Merck's shares.
>
> On Monday, the Journal reported that an e-mail dated March 9, 2000,
> suggested Merck recognized that something in Vioxx was linked to
> increased heart risk.
>
> Edward Scolnick, Merck research chief at the time, wrote in the e-mail
> that cardiovascular events "are clearly there" and called it a
> "shame."
>
> Although Scolnick compared Vioxx with other drugs with known side
> effects and wrote, "there is always a hazard," the company's public
> statements continued to reject the link between Vioxx and increased
> intrinsic risk.
>
> Ted Mayer, a lawyer representing Merck, told the journal that the
> e-mails and marketing materials were "taken out of context" and "do
> not accurately represent the conduct of Merck and its employees."
>
> But a memorandum dated Nov. 21, 1996, by a Merck official illustrated
> that the company wrestled with Vioxx's potential to induce a cardiac
> event, the report said. Another e-mail highlighted the possibility
> that patients could suffer blood clots unless they were also given
> aspirin.
>
> Those documents may be used in ongoing litigation against the company.
>
> On Friday, Merck -- citing documents that had been made public --
> issued a statement saying that it acted "responsibly and
> appropriately" in developing and marketing Vioxx.
>
> It was not immediately clear if it was referring to those obtained by
> the Journal, and a company representative was not immediately
> available to comment early Monday.

Re: Report: Merck Tried to Bury Vioxx Concerns for Years -- Posted by George Verak on 11-29-04 09:39

"Mark Probert" wrote in message news:...
> A criminal investigation should commence forthwith.
>
>
> "Roman Bystrianyk" wrote in message
> news:4f28e591.0411010902.582d609e@posting.google.com...
> > http://www.healthsentinel.com/news.php?event=news_print_list_item&id=364
> >
> > "Report: Merck Tried to Bury Vioxx Concerns for Years", Reuters,
> > November 1, 2004,
> > Link:
> http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=healthNews&storyID=6675039
> >
> > Internal e-mails and other documents from Merck & Co. show the company
> > fought for years to keep safety concerns from undermining the drug's
> > commercial prospects, the Wall Street Journal reported on Monday.
> >
> > Vioxx, a drug known as a COX-2 inhibitor, was withdrawn from the
> > market after it was shown to double the risk of heart attack and
> > stroke in patients who had been taking it for at least 18 months.
> > Vioxx generated some $2.5 billion in annual sales, and its withdrawal
> > pummeled Merck's shares.
> >
> > On Monday, the Journal reported that an e-mail dated March 9, 2000,
> > suggested Merck recognized that something in Vioxx was linked to
> > increased heart risk.
> >
> > Edward Scolnick, Merck research chief at the time, wrote in the e-mail
> > that cardiovascular events "are clearly there" and called it a
> > "shame."
> >
> > Although Scolnick compared Vioxx with other drugs with known side
> > effects and wrote, "there is always a hazard," the company's public
> > statements continued to reject the link between Vioxx and increased
> > intrinsic risk.
> >
> > Ted Mayer, a lawyer representing Merck, told the journal that the
> > e-mails and marketing materials were "taken out of context" and "do
> > not accurately represent the conduct of Merck and its employees."
> >
> > But a memorandum dated Nov. 21, 1996, by a Merck official illustrated
> > that the company wrestled with Vioxx's potential to induce a cardiac
> > event, the report said. Another e-mail highlighted the possibility
> > that patients could suffer blood clots unless they were also given
> > aspirin.
> >
> > Those documents may be used in ongoing litigation against the company.
> >
> > On Friday, Merck -- citing documents that had been made public --
> > issued a statement saying that it acted "responsibly and
> > appropriately" in developing and marketing Vioxx.
> >
> > It was not immediately clear if it was referring to those obtained by
> > the Journal, and a company representative was not immediately
> > available to comment early Monday.

FYI:
http://www.vioxxlitigator.us

Re: Report: Merck Tried to Bury Vioxx Concerns for Years -- Posted by Mark Probert on 11-29-04 10:20

"George Verak" wrote in message
news:ff4b7dca.0411290939.309f455f@posting.google.com...
> "Mark Probert" wrote in message
news:...
> > A criminal investigation should commence forthwith.
> >
> >
> > "Roman Bystrianyk" wrote in message
> > news:4f28e591.0411010902.582d609e@posting.google.com...
> > >
http://www.healthsentinel.com/news.php?event=news_print_list_item&id=364
> > >
> > > "Report: Merck Tried to Bury Vioxx Concerns for Years", Reuters,
> > > November 1, 2004,
> > > Link:
> >
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=healthNews&storyID=6675039
> > >
> > > Internal e-mails and other documents from Merck & Co. show the company
> > > fought for years to keep safety concerns from undermining the drug's
> > > commercial prospects, the Wall Street Journal reported on Monday.
> > >
> > > Vioxx, a drug known as a COX-2 inhibitor, was withdrawn from the
> > > market after it was shown to double the risk of heart attack and
> > > stroke in patients who had been taking it for at least 18 months.
> > > Vioxx generated some $2.5 billion in annual sales, and its withdrawal
> > > pummeled Merck's shares.
> > >
> > > On Monday, the Journal reported that an e-mail dated March 9, 2000,
> > > suggested Merck recognized that something in Vioxx was linked to
> > > increased heart risk.
> > >
> > > Edward Scolnick, Merck research chief at the time, wrote in the e-mail
> > > that cardiovascular events "are clearly there" and called it a
> > > "shame."
> > >
> > > Although Scolnick compared Vioxx with other drugs with known side
> > > effects and wrote, "there is always a hazard," the company's public
> > > statements continued to reject the link between Vioxx and increased
> > > intrinsic risk.
> > >
> > > Ted Mayer, a lawyer representing Merck, told the journal that the
> > > e-mails and marketing materials were "taken out of context" and "do
> > > not accurately represent the conduct of Merck and its employees."
> > >
> > > But a memorandum dated Nov. 21, 1996, by a Merck official illustrated
> > > that the company wrestled with Vioxx's potential to induce a cardiac
> > > event, the report said. Another e-mail highlighted the possibility
> > > that patients could suffer blood clots unless they were also given
> > > aspirin.
> > >
> > > Those documents may be used in ongoing litigation against the company.
> > >
> > > On Friday, Merck -- citing documents that had been made public --
> > > issued a statement saying that it acted "responsibly and
> > > appropriately" in developing and marketing Vioxx.
> > >
> > > It was not immediately clear if it was referring to those obtained by
> > > the Journal, and a company representative was not immediately
> > > available to comment early Monday.
>
> FYI:
> http://www.vioxxlitigator.us

That is not a criminal investigation, but a group of vultures.

Re: Report: Merck Tried to Bury Vioxx Concerns for Years -- Posted by Ilena Rose on 11-29-04 10:33

On Mon, 29 Nov 2004 13:20:49 -0500, "Mark Probert" Probert@lumbercartel.com> wrote:

>That is not a criminal investigation, but a group of vultures.

Right!

The PharmCartel and you PharmaShills are vultures ... preying on ill
people.

www.humanticsfoundation.com/PropagandistProbert.html

Re: Report: Merck Tried to Bury Vioxx Concerns for Years -- Posted by Mark Probert on 11-29-04 11:25

"Ilena Rose" in her official capacity as the Dominating
Directorix of the FDA DE-listed, San Diego DE-licensed, and apparently
DE-funct Humantics Foundation, wrote in message
news:arqmq01mgmvbirvgktgsmdqup04s1dbrkd@4ax.com...
> On Mon, 29 Nov 2004 13:20:49 -0500, "Mark Probert"
> Probert@lumbercartel.com> wrote:
>
> >That is not a criminal investigation, but a group of vultures.
>
> Right!

You get one point.

> The PharmCartel and you PharmaShills are vultures ... preying on ill
> people.

Nope, not at all. We prey on those who would prey on them. Examples are:

Ilena Rosenthal
Jan Drew
Hulda Clark
Tim Bolen
etc. etc. etc.

> www.humanticsfoundation.com/PropagandistProbert.html

That page says more about you than it does about me.

And, what is says is that you are a very un-nice person.

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