Irish Vioxx users dismayed by US verdict
The solicitor representing 100 Irish users of the drug Vioxx has reacted with dismay to a ruling in the US that its manufacturer was not liable for causing a 60-year-old’s heart attack.
Speaking on RTE radio today, Raymond Bradley said the action against pharmaceutical giant Merck and Company would continue regardless.
“Admittedly the verdict is disappointing, but it should be taken in its proper context. This is the second case. The first case was a verdict in favour of the plaintiff. The second action is a verdict where the plaintiff was unsuccessful. It should be remembered that this was one of the weaker actions,” he said.
The initial scientific study which resulted in Vioxx being withdrawn suggested that a person who was on the drug for more than 18 months had a doubled risk of developing cardiac problems.
The unsuccessful plaintiff had only been on the drug for two months and also had a medical condition which left him prone to heart attacks, Mr Bradley explained.
“The cases we are taking in Ireland are being pursued on behalf of people who have suffered very serious health consequences. People who have suffered brain haemorrhages, strokes, heart attacks. We have even seen potential deaths from this drug. People have suffered the most horrific impact on their quality of life, and as a result we have decided to pursue these cases in the US,” he added.
