An editorial published in the December 2005 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine reveals that Vioxx maker Merck & Co. intentionally withheld documents showing that additional heart attacks were suffered during a clinical study of the recalled arthritis drug. According to the latest report, which was published by the journal's editor in chief, an executive editor and a third doctor, Merck hid heart attacks suffered by three patients in a 2000 report on the clinical study.
The editorial also alleges that Merck executives deleted other relevant data before publishing the article with the journal. The new findings call into question conclusions found in the 2000 report, which was co-authored by Merck's vice president for clinical research. The journal has asked Merck to submit a correction.
In August 2005, a Texas jury awarded more than $250 million to the wife of a 59-year-old marathon runner who died of a heart attack while taking Vioxx. The lawsuit was the first of many to go to trial. Over 4,000 Vioxx-related lawsuits are currently pending.