Comments on: How To Bank $41 Million: Delay The Vioxx Deal http://www.pharmalot.com/2008/05/how-to-bank-41-million-delay-the-vioxx-deal/ News, Comment and Conversation Fri, 25 Jul 2008 14:41:09 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: LILLI http://www.pharmalot.com/2008/05/how-to-bank-41-million-delay-the-vioxx-deal/#comment-349534 LILLI Tue, 06 May 2008 22:24:52 +0000 http://www.pharmalot.com/?p=13484#comment-349534 What we need is to concentrate on preventative medicine---not medications that are causing extreme dangerous harmful conditions , serious illness and early deaths. What we need is to concentrate on preventative medicine—not medications that are causing extreme dangerous harmful conditions , serious illness and early deaths.

]]> By: Justice in Michigan http://www.pharmalot.com/2008/05/how-to-bank-41-million-delay-the-vioxx-deal/#comment-348687 Justice in Michigan Tue, 06 May 2008 17:20:40 +0000 http://www.pharmalot.com/?p=13484#comment-348687 Some may not find it credible, but one of the arguments plaintiff's lawyers gave for taking the deal was the imminence of an FDA preemption ruling by the Supreme Court in the Fall. When that happens, plantiffs would get nothing. Personally, I believe this also figured in Merck's thinking. It would have "not looked good" for preemption in general if the headlines in November were that thousands of Vioxx litigants - the one case that virtually everyone has heard about - were now locked out of court. So, in the long run, better to pay up some now then risk the outrage/"bad press" that otherwise follow. To that degree, the interests of Merck, the industry, and plaintiffs' lawyers have been complementary. Whether justice has been served; and injured people or their survivors have been served; are different questions. Some may not find it credible, but one of the arguments plaintiff’s lawyers gave for taking the deal was the imminence of an FDA preemption ruling by the Supreme Court in the Fall. When that happens, plantiffs would get nothing.

Personally, I believe this also figured in Merck’s thinking. It would have “not looked good” for preemption in general if the headlines in November were that thousands of Vioxx litigants - the one case that virtually everyone has heard about - were now locked out of court. So, in the long run, better to pay up some now then risk the outrage/”bad press” that otherwise follow.

To that degree, the interests of Merck, the industry, and plaintiffs’ lawyers have been complementary. Whether justice has been served; and injured people or their survivors have been served; are different questions.

]]> By: Ed Silverman http://www.pharmalot.com/2008/05/how-to-bank-41-million-delay-the-vioxx-deal/#comment-347800 Ed Silverman Tue, 06 May 2008 13:00:10 +0000 http://www.pharmalot.com/?p=13484#comment-347800 Hi Paul, This is from an Associated Press story last week: Lawyers on the plaintiffs' steering committee said the extension raised no concerns, adding it was anticipated because the claims administrator was still verifying documents that already have been submitted. "The enrollment has been overwhelming and the documents have been coming in at a great pace," said one of those lawyers, Andy Birchfield, of Beasley Allen in Montgomery, Ala. The delays serve Merck's purposes and not just saving the interest - the company also hopes the deal will gobble up as many eligible plaintiffs as possible. And as noted, the money to be set aside is not due until this summer. Hope this helps, ed Hi Paul,

This is from an Associated Press story last week: Lawyers on the plaintiffs’ steering committee said the extension raised no concerns, adding it was anticipated because the claims administrator was still verifying documents that already have been submitted.

“The enrollment has been overwhelming and the documents have been coming in at a great pace,” said one of those lawyers, Andy Birchfield, of Beasley Allen in Montgomery, Ala.

The delays serve Merck’s purposes and not just saving the interest - the company also hopes the deal will gobble up as many eligible plaintiffs as possible. And as noted, the money to be set aside is not due until this summer.

Hope this helps,
ed

]]> By: Paul http://www.pharmalot.com/2008/05/how-to-bank-41-million-delay-the-vioxx-deal/#comment-347789 Paul Tue, 06 May 2008 12:58:06 +0000 http://www.pharmalot.com/?p=13484#comment-347789 DrRadius, I agree. The only winners in all of this are the lawyers. The losers: the company, the employees, certainly the patients, and all of the other people in need of new drugs who now have to wait even longer in this environment of paranoia and panic. DrRadius,
I agree. The only winners in all of this are the lawyers. The losers: the company, the employees, certainly the patients, and all of the other people in need of new drugs who now have to wait even longer in this environment of paranoia and panic.

]]> By: DrRadius http://www.pharmalot.com/2008/05/how-to-bank-41-million-delay-the-vioxx-deal/#comment-347774 DrRadius Tue, 06 May 2008 12:54:26 +0000 http://www.pharmalot.com/?p=13484#comment-347774 The longer the delay toward settlement the more legal fees the more the lawyers get and the less the patients get. The longer the delay toward settlement the more legal fees the more the lawyers get and the less the patients get.

]]> By: Paul http://www.pharmalot.com/2008/05/how-to-bank-41-million-delay-the-vioxx-deal/#comment-347752 Paul Tue, 06 May 2008 12:48:04 +0000 http://www.pharmalot.com/?p=13484#comment-347752 I am confused. I have been reading that its the plaintiff lawyers that keep asking for extensions so that they can get more of their clients into the settlement. They even took the company to court to extend the deadline Were they not saying that they needed more time to chase medical records, to have tests done, etc? If I am not mistaken, the company already put the money aside and I would imagine they just want to get this damn thing over with. I am confused. I have been reading that its the plaintiff lawyers that keep asking for extensions so that they can get more of their clients into the settlement. They even took the company to court to extend the deadline

Were they not saying that they needed more time to chase medical records, to have tests done, etc? If I am not mistaken, the company already put the money aside and I would imagine they just want to get this damn thing over with.

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