Merck Says New Data Show No Added Risk after Stopping Vioxx Use

WHITEHOUSE STATION, N.J. - Merck & Co. Inc. has reported that Vioxx users in the clinical study that led to the painkiller's withdrawal from the market were not at increased risk of heart attack or stroke in the year after stopping use of the drug.

On May 11, Merck released new data from a 'preliminary safety analysis' of an additional off-drug year of patient follow-up for the APPROVe study. The company stated that the data do not show a statistically significant difference in the rate of thrombotic cardiovascular events in patients who had been on Vioxx and those who had …