Wednesday, December 13, 2006

Breaking News: Merck wins latest lawsuit

NEW ORLEANS, Dec 13 A New Orleans jury handed Merck & Co. a victory Wednesday in the latest federal Vioxx product liability trial, finding that the drugmaker adequately warned of the heart risks associated with the medicine.

Merck was sued by 51-year-old Anthony Dedrick, who blamed Vioxx for his 2003 heart attack.

Merck is facing more than 27,000 lawsuits from people who claim to have been harmed by the arthritis drug that was withdrawn from the market in September of 2004 after a study showed that it doubled the risk of heart attack and stroke in patients taking it for at least 18 months.

(MRK) is down 23 cents per share in afterhours trading.

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