Oral question asked in the House of Commons, by Norman Lamb (Liberal Democrat). It was answered on Tuesday, 16 December 2008 on behalf of the Department of Health.

Vioxx

Question: The Minister's predecessor took a rather different view, and four years ago The Lancet concluded that:"““The licensing of Vioxx and its continued use in the face of unambiguous evidence of harm have been public health catastrophes.””" This year, a leading US American journal claimed that Merck had drafted ““dozens of research studies”” on Vioxx and then got prestigious doctors to put their names to them—there was ghost-writing, in other words—and had misrepresented data. Given that most of the 400-plus victims of Vioxx in this country were NHS patients, is it not incumbent on the Government to intervene in this scandal and demand that Merck treats British victims in exactly the same way as US victims have been treated in the $4.8 billion settlement from which they have benefited?

Answer: I understand the concerns of the hon. Gentleman and other hon. Members. My predecessor met a parliamentary delegation on the matter only this July, so representations have been made. I must emphasise to the hon. Gentleman that it is not appropriate for Ministers or for Government to intervene in, or comment on, a potential claim for compensation that might be carried out in this country and that is properly a matter for the legal system to address. I repeat to him that the Government do not have any ability to bring sanctions to bear on the company that he is describing. If patients believe that they have a case, they are not prevented from taking it forward in a court of law in this country.

Secondary information