Anti-drug class action

A KEYSBOROUGH man has joined a class action to take on an American pharmaceutical giant.
Barrie Eaton blames painkiller and anti-arthritic drug Vioxx for a severe heart attack and blood clot which almost killed him.
The Star reported in August that the 59-year-old had taken the drug for more than 18 months.
The class action suit against the makers of anti-arthritic drug Vioxx, Merck & Co and its Australian subsidiary Merck Sharpe & Dohme (Australia) Pty Ltd, was launched in the Supreme Court last week.
Law firm Slater and Gordon launched the case on Thursday, representing more than 400 people from around Australia who had heart attacks and strokes after taking Vioxx.
Slater and Gordon special counsel Richard Meeran said the basis of the claim alleges that Vioxx was a defective product in that it increased the risk of heart attack and both companies should have known this.
Mr Meeran said the directions hearing would be held in February and he expected that it would be a long time before there would be an outcome. – Sarah Schwager