Sen. Murray says Asbestos Ban Bill making Progress

Sen. Patty Murray says her bill to ban asbestos will get a reading later this month in the Environment and Public Works Committee. She says this is the first time the bill has reached the markup stage.

What Might that Little Pill Do

Patricia Slingo takes a handful of pills to keep her heart functioning, and when she looks in the mirror, the first thing she sees is a big pink scar on her breastbone, the result of bypass surgery.

Asbestos victims set for Compensation Boost

Sufferers from an asbestos-related illness will be able to claim compensation more easily under new government proposals.

Asbestos Victim joins call for Ban on the Fiber that's Killing Her

Judy Clauson knows that a fast-killing cancer caused by exposure to asbestos has left her with only a short while to live. She says her remaining days are precious.

Clay Barnett Joins Beasley Allen

Beasley, Allen, Crow, Methvin, Portis & Miles, P.C. is pleased to announce that Clay Barnett has become an associate with the firm.

Vioxx Warnings Don't Absolve Merck

The Food and Drug Administration's approval of warnings on a drug label doesn't clear the manufacturer of claims that the warnings were inadequate.

FDA OK'd Labels don't Nix Claims

FDA approval of a drug label doesn't clear the manufacturer of claims that its warnings were inadequate, a judge ruled in a decision potentially affecting thousands of federal lawsuits against Merck & Co. for the painkiller Vioxx.

Judge Denies Merck Motion to Discard Vioxx Cases

A judge overseeing federal Vioxx litigation rejected Merck & Co.'s bid to throw out two lawsuits against the drugmaker over its withdrawn painkiller.

Vioxx Short-Term Risk not seen in other Data

A lawyer who represents Merck & Co. in its litigation over Vioxx said that an unpublished study that reportedly shows heart risks with the withdrawn painkiller in short-term use is not supported by other data.

Vioxx Heart Attack Risk Begins Earlier than Merck Claimed

A new study, approved for publication in the New England Journal of Medicine found that heart risks from the drug Vioxx began much sooner than Merck & Co. stated.