On the September morning Merck pulled its blockbuster pain medicine Vioxx from the market, a group of lawyers was busy taking a deposition from the drug maker's former chief medical officer.

Lawyers meeting on Tuesday to discuss Vioxx litigation say pending lawsuits will show that Merck & Co, Inc. (MRK.N) was aware of the arthritis drug’s risks before it was taken off the market.

Lawyers meeting to discuss Vioxx litigation say pending lawsuits will show that Merck & Co. Inc. was aware of the arthritis drug's risks before it was taken off the market.

Company officials shocked the world Sept. 30 with its immediate withdrawal ofVioxx, a COX-2 inhibitor, from the world market citing patient concern. The arthritis and acute pain drug was the company's best selling product, generating $2.5 billion sales in 2003, 11 percent of Merck's total revenues

Merck & Co.'s Pandora's box has been opened wide, affecting much more than just the 20 million users of Vioxx.

Already wounded by the withdrawal of its Vioxx pain reliever from the market, Merck & Co. must now contend with hundreds of lawsuits over the drug's side effects - lawsuits that threaten to further damage the company's finances and reputation.

Already wounded by the withdrawal of its Vioxx pain reliever from the market, Merck must now contend with hundreds of lawsuits over the drug’s side effects-lawsuits that threaten to further damage the company’s finances and reputation.

Hundreds of plaintiffs' lawyers who claim that people were injured or killed by the

Already wounded by the withdrawal of its Vioxx pain reliever from the market, Merck & Co. must now contend with hundreds of lawsuits over the drug's side effects.

Already wounded by the withdrawal of its Vioxx pain reliever from the market, Merck must now contend with hundreds of lawsuits over the drug's side effects.