Merck Says American Pipe Can't Save Plaintiffs' Time-Barred Vioxx Claims

NEW ORLEANS - Merck & Co. Inc. has moved for summary judgment in several federal Vioxx MDL cases, arguing the plaintiffs' claims are time-barred by certain states' one-year statutes of limitations. In Re: Vioxx Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 1657 (E.D. La.).

Merck filed the motion Sept. 22 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana in the cases of Edmonds, et al. v. Merck & Co. Inc., No. 05-5450, Stinson v. Merck & Co. Inc., No. 05-5494, and Watson v. Merck & Co. Inc., No. 05-5545.

Plaintiffs Boyd Edmonds, Donald Stinson and Timothy Watson each filed …