1998: Merck Study Suggests Increased Risk of Heart Problems among People Taking Vioxx

A Merck clinical trial of Vioxx conducted on 978 patients suggests the drug substantially increases the risk of serious cardiovascular events, including heart attack and stroke. Patients who take Vioxx are six times as likely to suffer heart problems than patients taking an alternative painkiller or a placebo. The study, named Study 090, is never published. Merck later says this is because the sample size was not large enough to provide statistically significant data. [US Food and Drug Administration, 2/1/2001, pp. 31-34 ; Topol, 2004; CBS News, 4/28/2005]