The Vioxx Story

On September 30, 2004, the blockbuster drug VIOXX was withdrawn from the worldwide market. This prescription painkiller had generated sales in excess of $2 billion annually and had been prescribed to more than 20 million Americans. After five years on the market, VIOXX – which had been touted as a “miracle drug” and was the object of the biggest launch in Merck’s history – was withdrawn because of serious safety issues. This is the VIOXX story.