Merck Urges Court to Select Only One Case for First Calif. Vioxx Trial

LOS ANGELES - Merck & Co. Inc. has requested that only one case be selected for adjudication in the first trial in California's Vioxx coordinated proceeding, saying that basing the initial trial on more than one case would only delay the development of meaningful, unprejudiced guidance for future litigation. Vioxx® Cases, JCCP No. 4247 (Calif. Super. Ct., Los Angeles Cty.).

Merck filed the statement on March 10 in Los Angeles County Superior Court after having designated 18 Vioxx cases on March 3 for inclusion in the pool of cases from which the court will select for the first trial.

Counsel …