WASHINGTON, Aug. 22 (UPI) -- The Wall Street Journal reports the bad publicity over the painkiller Vioxx has changed the way new drugs are developed, tested and marketed.
A Texas jury Friday awarded $253 million to the widow of a man who died of a heart attack while taking Vioxx. The award is certain to be reduced to a fraction of that amount, but the verdict is another blow to the drug's manufacturer, Merck & Co.
The Journal says drug manufacturers are reconsidering the kinds of drugs to develop. Some are looking more favorably on treatments for cancer and other deadly diseases, where patients are less concerned with side effects than they are with painkillers and drugs for chronic problems.
Both the industry and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration have a greater interest in safety. But the Journal said that has not translated into longer waits for FDA approval, with times down slightly this year.
