Vioxx, a drug used to treat arthritis, has been ruled unfit for
consumption because it doubles the risk of heart attacks in those
who take it.
Australian federal court judge Christopher Jessop awarded
compensation to Graeme Peterson, who said he had a heart attack in
2003 due to Vioxx.
Mr Peterson sued US drugs giant Merck because he said he could
no longer work.
Judge Jessop said Vioxx is "not of merchantable quality'' and is
unsuitable for relieving arthritis.
"I have concluded that across a population the consumption of
Vioxx about doubled the risk of heart attack,'' Judge Jessop
said.
"I have held that because Vioxx involved about a doubling of the
risk of heart attack, it was not reasonably fit for the purpose of
being used for the relief of arthritic pain."
Compensation will be determined later.