Patients Queue to Sue Over Drug ; Arthritis Sufferers Face Risk of Illness

A PARALYSED patient in their mid-30s is among scores of arthritis sufferers now expected to join a landmark compensation bid over a drug that could increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes.

Last week the Daily Post revealed six Merseysiders are planning to sue the manufacturers of pain killer Vioxx in an action that could lead to a multi-million pound lawsuit from people across Britain.

Last night it emerged a further 67 former users of the drug have come forward to join a North West class action being mounted by specialist clinical negligence solicitors Goodmans, of Liverpool.

Medical negligence lawyer Ian Cohen, who is now preparing to represent the group, has taken a record number of enquiries, including two from people in their mid-30s, one of whom is now completely paralysed after a heart attack.

He told the Daily Post: “The response has been absolutely huge.

“Within the first couple of days of the case being announced we’d had the majority of the enquiries.

“A lot of people that we have spoken to have suffered from heart attacks and are very concerned about what’s happening to them long term.

“The new cases range right across the spectrum.

“It has had a huge effect on the lives of some of the people we have talked to. We have had certainly a couple of enquiries from people who have been left completely incapacitated, with no cognitive abilities at all, and needing carers 24-7.

“But we have also had the other end of the spectrum, people who have simply experienced a heightened blood pressure – but they are still very concerned the changes in their health could have been caused by Vioxx. “

A total 80m people, including 400, 000 Britons, were on Vioxx when it was withdrawn by its manufacturers US pharmaceutical giant Merck, in September, after a study found the drug could increase the risk of heart attack and stroke. More than 300 lawsuits have already been filed in the US, where it is estimated the company’s litigation bill could reach $18bn (pounds 10bn).

The “wonder drug”, also known as Rofecoxib, was used to treat rheumatoid and osteo-arthritis, fever and other painful conditions like inflammation of the joints, and menstural pain. Mr Cohen will aim to prove Merck is liable for any harm caused by their products, for which the only defence would be that Merk did not know about the risk.

The case is expected to hinge on claims published in the medical journal the Lancet, that Merck knew four years ago the pain killer was causing heart attacks and strokes.

p SEVERAL patients who have contacted Goodmans have also raised concerns that they were transferred from Vioxx to a similar drug, Celebrex.

Yesterday, it emerged that patients have been advised to contact their GP, after a study by the US Cancer Institute found that Celebrex could also increase the risk of having a possible heart attack.

Researchers found people on a 400 mg dose were 2. 5 times more likely to have a heart attack or stroke than those taking a placebo, those on an 800 mg dose were 3. 4 times at risk.

The drug, manufactured by US firm Pfizer, is used by an estimated 600, 000 patients in the UK.

It is in the same family of drugs as Vioxx, the Cox-2 inhibitor class of non-steiroidal painkillers.