Court Certifies Limited Class in Canadian Vioxx Action

MONTREAL - A Canadian court has certified a class of Quebec Vioxx users who claim in a lawsuit against Merck & Co. Inc. and a Canadian subsidiary that the arthritis drug caused them injuries, plaintiffs' counsel said in a statement.

Justice André Denis of the Quebec Superior Court on Nov. 9 authorized the class action but declined to include in the class the 'vast majority' of Vioxx users who took the medicine and did not allege personal injuries, according to a statement released by Merck Frosst Canada.

The company said it had argued against certification, asserting that each plaintiff's case …