CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 31, 2005--On May 31, 2005, the law firm of KENNETH B. MOLL & ASSOCIATES, LTD. filed the first class action lawsuit on behalf of all citizens of England who allegedly died or were seriously injured by the pain medication Vioxx. The suit accuses United States pharmaceutical giant Merck & Co. of failing to properly research the known risks of Vioxx and warn English consumers of potentially fatal side effects. “Vioxx should never have been marketed in the first place, in light of the known risks of Cox-2 inhibitors,” said Kenneth B. Moll, whose firm filed the first worldwide class action regarding Vioxx last fall. On September 30, 2004, Merck withdrew Vioxx from all worldwide markets after studies showed a three-fold risk of heart attack and stroke. “Merck’s decision to withdraw Vioxx from the market came years after the company first learned of the health risks,” said Mr. Moll. “Countless individuals in England and around the world have suffered severe and fatal injuries which could have been avoided if Merck had acted responsibly.” The lawsuit seeks the establishment of a medical monitoring fund to pay for the testing of English consumers for dangerous side effects of Vioxx.
