Commerce Committee opens Vioxx investigation

House Energy & Commerce Committee officially opens investigation of Vioxx withdrawal with Nov. 23 letters to FDA and Merck. Committee Chair Joe Barton (R-Texas) and Ranking Member John Dingell (D-Mich.) ask FDA and Merck to submit records and internal communications including those related to safety reviews of Vioxx, the 2002 labeling change, advisory committee discussion of the drug and reviews of the 2000 VIGOR study data. The letter to Merck questions promotions for the drug and requests details on recommendations of the data safety monitoring committees of the VIGOR and APPROVe trials. The Senate Finance Committee held a hearing on Vioxx Nov. 18 (1"The Pink Sheet" Nov. 22, 2004, p. 3)...