Medical Expert Testifies Against Vioxx Manufacturer

By Dave Wilson

Published on August 01, 2005

While being questioned by the plaintiff's lawyer, Dr. David Egilman explained that he had doubts about the safety of Vioxx. He also testified that pharmaceutical sales representatives for Merck & Co., the maker of Vioxx, had pressed him to prescribe the drug after it hit the market.

Dr. Egilman said that after he read contradicting research study results for Celebrex, he became concerned about the safety of COX-2 inhibitors, a class of drugs that includes Vioxx. Egilman did admit to giving out free samples of Vioxx to poor patients who did not have coverage for expensive prescription drugs.

The expert witness then alleged that Merck had attempted to find out what he was prescribing, which would constitute a violation of privacy laws. The Merck defense team refuted this charge forcefully, stating flatly that his claim had no merit whatsoever. The judge told the jurors to disregard the accusation entirely.

This trial has serious implications for Merck, a pharmaceutical giant that is facing over 4,000 Vioxx lawsuits. The court case is set to continue on Monday.

Comment on this article →