Back in 2004, Merck, which is a huge pharmaceutical giant, decided to recall one of their most lucrative medicines, geared toward a more senior population. The drug was Vioxx, which alleged to treat arthritis pain. However, a test revealed that patients who took Vioxx for more than eighteen months were more likely to die of a heart attack or a stroke.
Once Merck realized they were killing people with their drug, they decided to get it off the market before more lawsuits piled up. When the company was recalling the product, they estimated a $725 million loss in Vioxx sales.
It removed the drug from the market, but the nightmare was not over. Merck agreed to pay $4.85 billion to settle their 27,000 lawsuits in 2007.
You won’t believe the danger of the next product.
