Physician Was Adequately Warned of Vioxx's Side Effects; Judge Awards Merck Summary Judgment

BATON ROUGE, La. - A federal judge awarded summary judgment to Merck after determining that the company provided adequate warnings to a physician who gave Vioxx samples to a woman allegedly stricken with congestive heart failure after taking the arthritis medication. Genevieve C. Wascom v. Merck & Co., Inc., No. 02-CV-460 (M.D. La.).

In a ruling Nov. 6, U.S. District Judge James J. Brady stated that plaintiff Genevieve Wascom relied on "conclusory allegation and unsubstantiated claims" to support assertions she made against the drug maker.

On April 24, 2002, Wascom sued Merck in the 19th Judicial District for the Parish …