VOA常速英语2008年-Merck Accused of Hiding Evidence of Vioxx Risk

The controversial relationship in the United States between the medical profession and the drug industry is in the spotlight¹. A prominent medical publication, The Journal of the American Medical Association, has criticized the results of two clinical trials by the pharmaceutical² giant, Merck. The clinical trials, completed before the drug was later taken off the market, tested an anti-inflammatory drug called Vioxx for possible treatment of Alzheimer's disease. VOA's Melinda Smith examines the possible conflicts of interest raised by the journal article, and whether lives might have been saved if the public had known more.