Merck & Co., Inc. Class Actions Dismissed

Two lawsuits were filed and were seeking class action status in the U.S. on behalf of plaintiffs from France and plaintiffs from Italy. Judge Eldon Fallon of the U.S. District Court in New Orleans has granted the motion to dismiss the two Vioxx class action claims previously filed in the federal court. Regulatory agencies overseas operate under their own regulatory rules, not those of the U.S., and their regulatory regimes are different from those in the U.S. It would be inappropriate for a U.S. court or a U.S. jury to second guess another country's regulatory judgment. (Aug-30-06) [PHARMALIVE]