Merck continues its attack on Vioxx users

Did you ever hear the mantra, "Customer is always right?" Well, it is the case for all businesses except Merck, the maker of now withdrawn drug Vioxx. Instead of treating its customers with respect and dignity, it has ferociously attacked them. No wonder the jury in Texas was so enraged that they awarded over a quarter billion bucks to Ms. Carol Ernst. Apparently during the trial, not only was Ms. Ernst treated harshly by Merck attorneys, she was also asked totally irrelevant questions.

You would expect that Merck would learn from its mistakes and change its strategy. Not so fast. Bloomberg is reporting that while questioning the doctor for another plaintiff U.S. Marine Frederick Humeston, Merck's lawyer "suggested that his patient's heart attack was caused in part by stress from the Postal Service's secret videotaping to see if he had faked a knee injury." Just remember that this man has been in combat and a recipient of a Purple Heart. His lawsuit is scheduled to go on trial next month and most analysts expect Merck to lose this case as well since compared to the lawsuit by Carol Ernst this one strongly favors Humeston.