Patients claiming they were harmed byMerck's drugare likely to prove that the company tried to sit on hard medical evidence with hopes that it could run out the clock on its drugs' patent.

Verdicts like the one against Vioxx could end up denying valuable new drugs to patients.

The FDA's recent move was a giant step toward a calamitous new drug approval policy.

A steady stream of dire announcements will eventually fatigue the public for important warnings and devalue the voice through which the agency speaks.

The American tort liability systemworks badly when it gets infected by junk science.

Health care hawks in Congress may seize on painkillerVioxx"s woes to push for major changes in the Food and Drug Administration"s drug approval process.

ANew Jersey jury awarded compensationto John McDarby, 77,who sued Merck after suffering a heart attack while taking the pain reliever Vioxx.

The recent verdict in a case involving the pain reliever Vioxx demonstrates how junk science can corrupt drug litigation.