Jury Verdict in Vioxx Lawsuit

Jury Verdict in Vioxx Lawsuit

Sen. Chuck Grassley issued a comment today regarding verdict reached today by a Texas jury in a case involving the painkiller Vioxx.

Since early 2004, Grassley has conducted extensive oversight of the FDA and put pressure on the drug safety agency to respond in a more timely and forthcoming way when new information about drug risks is available. In April 2005, Sen. Grassley introduced bipartisan legislation to set up a new drug safety office within the Food and Drug Administration and require drug makers to submit ads to the FDA for review in advance of ad placement. The bill would also require new disclosures in ads for higher risk or newer drugs. Sen. Grassley is also the lead co-sponsor of pending legislation to establish a mandatory clinical trials registry for drug manufacturers.

Grassley comment regarding today's jury verdict:

"The Food and Drug Administration was also negligent in the Vioxx case. Those running the nation's public safety agency dismissed the concerns of their own scientists and kept the public in the dark about emerging problems with Vioxx. Drug safety is always a balancing act between benefits and risks, but with Vioxx the FDA's priorities were clearly misplaced. A too cozy relationship with a drug maker put lives at risk. The American people need to know that the only client the FDA is worried about is John Q. Public."

http://finance.senate.gov/press/Gpress/2005/prg081905.pdf