February 15, 2000: Head of Vioxx Study to be Paid $60,000 to sit on Merck Advisory Board

Merck offers Michael Weinblatt, who is heading a clinical trial (see December 22, 1999 and November 18, 1999) for the company’s drug Vioxx, $5,000 a day to sit on a Merck advisory board for 12 days over the next two years. He accepts the offer and signs the contract a few weeks later on March 6. Merck pays him $15,000 up front. [National Public Radio, 6/8/2006; National Public Radio, 6/8/2006]