While the news of a Merck verdict reverberated throughout the country, the realities of litigating in front of a State Court Judge in New Jersey moved apace.
Yesterday at a hearing before Judge Higbee, those in attendance learned that of the approximately 2000 cases pending, nearly 60% of them involve an alleged injury together with 18+ months usage of the drug.
The next ten trials will all have a Plaintiff who took Vioxx for at least 18 months.
My comment: After the verdict last week, Merck reps told anyone and everyone that Merck had and has "a good story to tell." We will see, now that the next ten trials in New Jersey will tell the story of a drug pulled from the market after the VIGOR study suggested an increase in the chance of an injury when Vioxx was taken for 18 months or more.
