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Vioxx payouts may not be enough
A pharmacist holds up a bottle of the arthritis drug Vioxx.
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TEXT OF STORY
Scott Jagow: For awhile, it looked like we would see a hundred years of Vioxx trials. But last year, drug company Merck settled the lawsuits over it's the painkiller for $4.8 billion. This week, that money starts going to the victims. Dan Grech reports.
Dan Grech: More than 97 percent of people who sued Merck agreed to the settlement. That's nearly 50,000 people. Individual payouts will range from $5,000 to several million dollars. Still, many claimants say it's not enough.
Al Pennington is a retired TV broadcaster who had a heart attack after taking Vioxx:
Al Pennington: When they see that $4.85 billion figure, the public thinks, wow, those people are going to be rich. But then a lawyer takes 35-40 percent, the plaintiff is left with very little.
Pennington says his check will barely cover the prescription drugs he now takes for his weakened heart.
Claimants will start receiving their checks in a few weeks. That doesn't mean Merck's troubles are over. The company still faces hundreds of potential lawsuits.
I'm Dan Grech for Marketplace.
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The latest news is: my heart Doctor told me as of yesterday, that she has to list all the paticents in the Computer for the Government. Also any perscriptions that you are taking. If you need a refill they only have to click on the prescription on the computer and send it to the drug store. it will be refilled for you. Now the catch is if the doseage has been increased or decreased that does not show the new prescription as being renewed but brings up the old record. now if someone else who does not know your dosage sees the computer record and issues the wrong dose then there is a big problem. My doctor is not happy with the OFF LABLE LAW THAT HAS BEEN INFORCED ON HER OFFICE AND PATICENTS. you need to write to the congress and tell them OFF LABLE IS A PROBLEM.
If I had been part of the PSC, I would have interviewed many litigants to understand their situations and negotiated with Merck something like this:
1: ill-gotten gains should be forfeited and provided to the litigants – or my best guess would be to add about $5B to the $4.85B…
2: subrogation should be paid entirely by Merck
3: opt-ins should only be required only 20%, even 32% just does not make it. In addition, it has to be a real 20%, though that is even high for paper pushing.
4: the GATE process would “get realâ€; independently certified as valid and not dominated by MURK’s quite biased view.
My mother took Vioxx and had a stroke in Sept 99, then a heart attack in December 99 and past away. The lawyers are saying that even though I have copies of the prescriptions, I need receipts were the medical was actually purchased. Just another ploy to not pay!!
Some checks were mailed out Aug 28. Do anyone someone that received a check?
My husband took Vioxx for 4 years+ and suffered from 2 heart attacks and had stints and quad-bypass surgery. Now his attorney is saying he may not be eligible for this settlement because he got his Vioxx from the VA (he's a disabled vet) and their way of reporting prescriptions is confusing. Has anyone had a similar experience?
I wonder how many got to court with a hearing in a STAR CHAMBER, if you had your attorney and Merck's attorney and the Judge present. even if you had a jury trial, Merck produced a 'STAR CHAMBER' iF your attorney did not know he should have knowN there is NO LAW, The Courts have never issued an ORDER for MERCK for a JUDGMENT. If the court ORDERS Merck To pay up and they did not. Merck could be prosecuted for contempt. funny that NO Court has ever ORDERED Merck to pay up. Why?? There is NO LAW, No Federal LAW and NO STATE LAW. No prosecution and NO Orders. MERCK IS UNTOUCHABLE.Each and every time anyone goes into the Court room against Merck it is a STAR CHAMBER' I thought we left the STAR CHAMBERS with NAZI GERMANS AFTER THE WWII.
WELL, that one didn’t work right, try only this one more time…
Suggest for anyone vioxx interested, ANYONE, these links…. (f you are already in one of these, simoly ignore that one! – thankx!
..
YOU TUBE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZFTN7eGNE0
MarketPlace
http://marketplace.publicradio.org/display/web/2008/08/04/vioxx_payouts/
WSJ HEALTH BLOG
http://blogs.wsj.com/health/2008/01/18/vioxx-settlement-plan-keeps-rolli...
also other WSJ health blogs lead to the “story of vioxx and VPEG†and it still evolves..
Tort Deform - The Civil Justice Defense Blog
web: http://www.tortdeform.com
Suggest for anyone vioxx interested, ANYONE, these links…. (f you are already in one of these, simoly ignore that one! – thankx!
..
YOU TUBE
…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZFTN7eGNE0
…
..
..
MarketPlace
…
http://marketplace.publicradio.org/display/web/2008/08/04/vioxx_payouts/
…
..
..
WSJ HEALTH BLOG
http://blogs.wsj.com/health/2008/01/18/vioxx-settlement-plan-keeps-rolli...
also other WSJ health blogs lead to the “story of vioxx and VPEG†and it still evolves..
..
..
..
Tort Deform - The Civil Justice Defense Blog
…
web: http://www.tortdeform.com
…
..
..
OUTSIDE WORLD - Please help us! Some links to get started.... ... Suggest for anyone vioxx interested, ANYONE, these links�. (f you are already in one of these, simoly ignore that one! � thankx! .. YOU TUBE � http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZFTN7eGNE0 � .. .. MarketPlace � http://marketplace.publicradio.org/display/web/2008/08/04/vioxx_payouts/ � .. .. WSJ HEALTH BLOG http://blogs.wsj.com/health/2008/01/18/vioxx-settlement-plan-keeps-rolli... also other WSJ health blogs lead to the �story of vioxx and VPEG� and it still evolves.. .. .. .. Tort Deform - The Civil Justice Defense Blog � web: http://www.tortdeform.com � .. ..
Hello Marketplace
Thanks for keeping us visible!
Please coninue to do so, Marketplace is a very good place where VPEG can communicate to the outside world...we apprecite and please, we conintue to need your help.
I will be posting later again and creating 2 cross links between Marketplace and our own developed youtube...please stick with us and you will learn much from us and others as now WE ARE IN THE NEXT, BUT NOT LAST PHASE...
Thanks
Dennis Harrison
badbonehealing@hvc.rr.com
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