Merck Asks Federal Panel to Transfer, Consolidate Zostavax Shingles Vaccine Lawsuits

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Merck & Co. Inc. is seeking consolidation of nearly five dozen pending suits accusing the drug maker of failing to warn that its vaccine, marketed for the prevention of shingles, ended up causing the condition in some who received the shot.

The April 20 motion filed with the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation says that the 57 Zostavax lawsuits now filed in 9 different federal courts throughout the country signal a “critical need” for coordination, as the number of cases is likely to increase.

The first lawsuit against Merck over its Zostavax shingles vaccine was filed …