Merck to pay $5bn in rofecoxib claims

The US drug company Merck announced last week that it will pay $4.85bn (£2.3bn; €3.3bn) to settle 26 600 lawsuits, representing 47 000 plaintiffs, in addition to 265 possible class action cases, arising out of the use of rofecoxib (Vioxx).

The agreement is to cover cases filed in federal and state courts, and depends on 85% of all plaintiffs dropping their cases. The money will be paid into a settlement fund for claims that qualify. In a …