Trade.Information

Product Name: VIOXX® (Medicines)

Product Description

On September 30, 2004 Merck announced the voluntarily worldwide withdrawal of VIOXX® (rofecoxib) from the market. Given questions raised by data from a study called the APPROVe trial and the availability of other therapeutic choices for patients, we concluded that a voluntary withdrawal was the responsible course to take. Since the withdrawal of VIOXX from the market, the science has continued to evolve and new data on some of those alternative therapies have become available. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and Health Canada have concluded that an increased risk of serious thrombotic cardiovascular adverse events is associated with all COX 2 selective NSAIDs. In addition, these regulatory agencies concluded that, although long-term placebo-controlled data are not available for non-selective NSAIDS, the current data suggests that COX 2 selective NSAIDs and non-selective NSAIDs have similar cardiovascular risk profiles.

At Merck, we are committed to addressing medical needs through scientific excellence, an unwavering commitment to the highest standards of patient safety, and maintaining the highest ethics and values. Merck is a data-driven company. We continue to believe the decision to voluntarily withdraw VIOXX from the market in September was the right course of action based on the clinical data available at that time.
Scientific Excellence

Merck is committed to scientific excellence. Merck will continue to make investments in research and development a priority. Medicines discovered and developed by Merck scientists save and improve countless lives around the globe. Thanks to the people behind the life-enhancing discoveries of Merck Research Laboratories we rank among the world’s most innovative institutions in the medical sciences. By the end of the decade, we expect to deliver promising new drugs that will improve the health of millions of people throughout the world.
Patients First

Making patient safety our top priority has served us well and will continue to be the cornerstone of our success as a company. The decision to voluntarily withdraw VIOXX® from the market is consistent with the values and traditions of this company—putting patients first.
Ethics and Values

We are responsible to our customers, to Merck employees and their families, to the environments we inhabit, and to the societies we serve worldwide. Our business is preserving and improving human life. We value, above all, our ability to serve everyone who can benefit from the appropriate use of our products and services.

For those patients who are interested in more information about Merck’s voluntary withdrawal of VIOXX, we hope that you find this website useful. If you are interested in more information about Merck, we invite you to visit www.merck.com to learn more about our company, our research, and our values.

Company Details

Merck & Co., Inc. is a global research-driven pharmaceutical company dedicated to putting patients first. Established in 1891, Merck discovers, develops, manufactures and markets vaccines and medicines to address unmet medical needs. The company... more