The main pension fund of New York State filed
a federal lawsuit yesterday against Merck
& Company, accusing it of misleading
shareholders about the safety of its arthritis pain drug Vioxx,
which has since been withdrawn.
Credit Pacific Service Union
The suit, brought in United States District Court in Trenton, said
that the pension fund lost about $171 million on Sept. 30, when the
company, citing increased heart risks in tests of people who had
used Vioxx for more than 18 months, withdrew it from the market. On
that day, the price of a share of Merck stock plummeted 27 percent,
and it has since drifted lower. Merck shares are down almost 40
percent so far this year, though they closed up 35 cents yesterday,
at $28.02.
Generally, the attorneys who represent the class are paid out of the funds recovered. They receive a percentage of the settlement. Most courts set the fees at 25%, although this may be adjusted depending on specific circumstances. As for the case against Vioxx, Merck expects about 16, 000 people to file lawsuits pagainst the company. Even before announcing the drug's voluntary withdrawal, several hundred people had already filed suit against the company, claiming they suffered heart attacks and strokes while taking the drug.
Credit First Service Union
The suit appears to be the first by a pension
fund against Merck, which is based in Whitehouse Station, N.J. A
company spokeswoman, Joan Wainwright, said that about 15 lawsuits
had been filed, contending that Merck misled shareholders. Several
hundred personal injury lawsuits have also been filed against Merck
by people claiming to have been injured by
Vioxx.
prompting creditors to obtain authorization for new lines of credit or credit file changes that could lead to identity theft. financial identity theft. LifeLock backs its restoration services with a unique $1 million service guarantee that will recover 100 percent of a victim's related losses. In addition, approved credit card offers, viewed as one of the most common sources of information theft. LifeLock provides the nation's only identity theft prevention program for children.
Card Credit Mobile Service
The company has denied
any wrongdoing.
Read the family finance guide from Moneynet.co.uk, providing information on family finance issues such as child trust funds (CTF's) and child tax credits.
Card Credit Discover Service
In
a statement issued yesterday, the New York State comptroller, Alan
G. Hevesi, who is also the pension fund's trustee, maintained that
Merck knew but failed to disclose that growing evidence indicated
that Vioxx users were at increased risk of heart attacks, strokes
and death.
Give your mailing envelopes, holiday cards, file folders and more a touch of that famous New York style with these New York City skyline...
Credit Public Service Union
"Merck must be held legally responsible for its actions," Mr.
Hevesi said. "These actions have put lives at risk and cost
shareholders billions of dollars." Mr. Hevesi's suit is seeking
unspecified
damages.
By quickly registering for the Protective Registration Service and paying the administration fee of â11.75, you can prevent a thief from obtaining credit, goods and other services in your name. A CIFAS warning will then be placed against your address for your own protection. CIFAS members will see this warning when searching against your address and will refer any credit applications for further investigation. Although this may cause delays when you apply for credit, it will prevent fraudsters from causing further damage to your credit rating.
Card Credit Processing Service
Besides the company, the suit names several
individuals, including Merck's chief executive, Raymond V.
Gilmartin.
Center Credit Service Union
Merck executives have
disputed suggestions that they acted improperly and said they moved
promptly to withdraw Vioxx after the patients in the clinical trial
- where the drug was being tested as a treatment for colon polyps -
experienced increased risks of cardiovascular
problems.
Card Credit Service Wireless
"Merck
extensively studied Vioxx before seeking regulatory approval to
market it," the spokeswoman, Ms. Wainwright, said. "We promptly
disclosed the clinical data about Vioxx. When questions arose, we
took additional steps, including conducting further prospective,
controlled studies to gain more clinical
information."
Credit Security Service Union
She said that Merck had not seen Mr. Hevesi's lawsuit and so would
not
comment.
Credit Report Service
In the suit, Mr. Hevesi cited recent
newspaper and broadcast reports and medical journal articles that
raised questions about Merck's handling of safety issues
surrounding
Vioxx.
Blogspot Com Christian
Some people raised
safety questions after Vioxx's approval in 1999 by the Food and
Drug Administration. In 2000, for instance, a major clinical trial
of the drug found that those taking it had a fivefold greater risk
of heart attacks compared with patients in the trial who took
another pain reliever,
naproxen.
Christian Counseling Credit
Until
recently, Merck executives said that those results did not reflect
dangers posed by Vioxx but rather the protective effect of naproxen
for cardiac
health.
Credit Federal Service Union
A spokesman for Mr. Hevesi, John Chartier, said that at end of
September, the New York State pension fund owned about 9.4 million
shares of
Merck.
Credit Monitoring Service
In the lawsuit filed yesterday, Mr. Hevesi is
asking the court to consolidate all securities-related claims
against Merck in connection with Vioxx into a class action and to
make him the lead plaintiff. He also filed a separate but related
lawsuit yesterday in United States District Court in New
Orleans.
Credit Division Service
The New York State
Common Retirement Fund, as the pension fund is formally known, is
the second-largest public pension fund in the country, after
Calpers.
It has some $120.8 billion in assets and more than 970,000
retirees, beneficiaries and
members.
Card Credit Online Service
Copyright 2004 The New York Times
Company
[ Comment, Edit or Article Submission ]