Bextra, Vioxx Caused Woman's Heart Attack and Blood Clots, Complaint Alleges

PHILADELPHIA - A lawsuit filed recently in Pennsylvania alleges that the makers of Vioxx and Bextra concealed their knowledge of cardiovascular risks associated with the arthritis drugs from consumers and the medical community. Henderson v. Merck & Co., Inc., et al., No. 04-5987 (E.D. Pa.).

The suit was filed Dec. 22 in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania by a 53-year-old Michigan woman who suffered a heart attack and blood clots while taking the drugs. Mary Henderson alleges that Vioxx manufacturer Merck & Co., and Bextra manufacturer Pfizer Inc., as well as the owners of the pharmacy …