Vioxx Class Action Denied in California
Merck & Co. claimed victory in California recently, as Judge Victoria Cheney rejected a proposed class action suit against the drug manufacturer for the ill effects of its Vioxx product. Merck, presently defending lawsuits across the globe for Vioxx, was spared from what could have been billions in liability exposure in California.
Judge Cheney stated that the patients who consumed Vioxx had too many differences, including medical histories and the length of time each patient took the drug, in order to sue jointly. Judge Cheney's ruling comes on the heels of another class action denial in Vioxx litigation in New Jersey. With the fervor over the injuries caused by Vioxx still high, one can only speculate if there will be similar such decisions in the near future.
