As of this year Merck has settled the majority of Vioxx claims following their 2004 “voluntary” removal of the heart-attack-causing medication.  It has cost them 4.85 billion dollars.  They ghostwrote the “scientific” studies for false marketing purposes and hid safety data from the FDA.  The FDA allowed the drug on the market over the objection of its safety scientists.  Finally, the likely mechanism explaining why Vioxx caused cardiovascular death¹ has apparently been stumbled onto.  The mechanism of injury raises serious risks for any NSAID drug as well as other drugs of safety concern, such as fibrates, that are used to lower cholesterol and triglycerides. (more…)