Journal Criticizes Merck Over Vioxx Study

A U.S. medical journal alleges the drug company Merck misrepresented the results of a clinical trial of the painkiller Vioxx, a charge Merck denies.

The New England Journal of Medicine published an editorial Thursday, saying the authors of the study of Vioxx involving 8,000 patients in 2000 deleted some data about strokes and other vascular problems, the New York Times reported Friday.

They did not disclose all they knew, Dr. Gregory D. Curfman, the journal’s executive editor. There were serious negative consequences for the public health as a result of that.

The study authors said the number of heart attacks suffered by patients taking Vioxx were 17 when there were actually 20, the journal said.

Merck said in a statement it has only recently learned of the editorial but the Vioxx study was peer-reviewed, fairly and accurately described the results of the study as of the pre-specified cutoff for analysis.

The additional events referred to in the editorial were events that were reported after the pre-specified cut-off date and therefore were not included in the primary analysis reported in the New England Journal article, the statement said.