Judge Tosses 'Grossly Excessive' $50M Award Against Vioxx Maker

The $50 million compensatory damage award in a federal Vioxx case this month was "grossly excessive," and a new trial must be held to decide how much drugmaker Merck & Co. must pay a retired FBI agent who suffered a heart attack after taking the painkiller, a Louisiana federal judge ruled Wednesday. Merck said it would ask the judge to also order a new trial on whether it was liable in the case.

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