2. Vioxx
Vioxx, like Bextra, was a pain reliever for arthritis. After five years on the market, pharmaceutical manufacturer Merck recalled it in 2004. This withdrawn process cost nearly $6 billion.
This is one of the largest prescription drug recalls in US history. The whole thing provoked public outrage and harsh criticism of both Merch and the US Food and Drug Administration. Some critics even stated that the drug manufacturer and FDA ignored the risks of Vioxx.
Like other prescription drugs pulled from the market, Vioxx put people’s lives in danger. At the time of the recall, the supposedly pain reliever had been prescribed to over 20 million people. Up to 135,000 people suffered strokes or heart attacks after taking Vioxx.
