Jury Clears Merck in Heart Attack Death

Jurors in Madison County, Missouri cleared Vioxx manufacturer Merck & Co., Inc. of liability in a lawsuit which alleged that the painkiller caused a 52-year-old woman's fatal heart attack. As part of their decision, the jury concluded that Patty Schwaller's 2003 heart attack was caused in part by her obesity and other health problems. Vioxx was withdrawn from the marketplace in September 2004.

• Vioxx Information and Resources (FindLaw)
• Jurors Side with Merck in Vioxx Trial (Forbes/AP)