More problems for Merck defense

The Vioxx litigation is widely seen as a key turning point for Merck. That's the reason why so many people are surprised that miscues continue to haunt the company's legal defense. The latest snafu came on Friday when defense counsel Diane Sullivan got into a shouting match with Judge Carol Higbee, leading some observers to compare the proceedings to an episode of The Jerry Springer Show. Ill will between the two has been palpable since the beginning of the second Vioxx trial.

- see this report from The New York Times
- see this backgrounder from The Wall Street Journal on Sullivan (sub. req.)