The Wall Street Journal-20080129-Connecticut Probes Merck- Schering Over Marketing of Vytorin and Zetia
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Connecticut Probes Merck, Schering Over Marketing of Vytorin and Zetia
Full Text (275 words)Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal announced that his state is investigating Merck & Co. and Schering-Plough Corp.'s behavior relating to cholesterol blockbuster Vytorin, adding to the list of government entities probing aspects of the drug's marketing.
"We are investigating whether state funds were spent on false assurances about the safety and effectiveness of these drugs," Mr. Blumenthal said, referring to Vytorin and its sister, Zetia, which Merck and Schering co-market in a joint venture. He said the state's Medicaid program was the main public source of money spent on the medications.
Merck spokesman Chris Garland said the company hadn't been notified of an investigation by Connecticut but will cooperate, adding that the company is unaware of other state probes aside from New York's, announced Saturday. "We stand by the safety and efficacy profiles of both Zetia and Vytorin," he said. "We acted with integrity and good faith in connection with the clinical trial."
Schering-Plough spokeswoman Rosemarie Yancosek said the company isn't aware of a Connecticut inquiry but will cooperate. "We have done nothing wrong and we stand behind our products." She declined to say whether the company is aware of other state investigations beyond New York's.
On a separate front, Merck was hit with another lawsuit claiming injuries from its osteoporosis drug Fosamax. In a complaint filed in New Jersey state court, 53-year-old JoAnn Moranski of Fairfield, Conn., alleges Merck caused multiple stress fractures and suppressed bone regeneration in her legs. Paul Strain, a partner at Venable LLP who represents Merck in Fosamax litigation called the suit "an isolated claim," and said, "Clinical trial evidence didn't find any increased risk of [stress] fractures with Fosamax."
