In May 2000, executives at Merck, the pharmaceutical giant under siege for its handling of the multibillion-dollar drug Vioxx, made a fateful decision.

When the pharmaceutical giant Merck pulled its blockbuster pain medication Vioxx off the market in late September, it became the largest prescription drug recall in history.

In May 2000, executives at Merck, the pharmaceutical giant under siege for its handling of the multi-billion-dollar drug Vioxx, made a fateful decision.

Some of Pell City’s citizens may recognize a familiar face if they turn on 60 minutes Sunday night.

Representatives of both the drugmaker Merck and the FDA will be on Capitol Hill next week to answer safety questions about Merck's drug Vioxx.

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

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