Beasley, Allen, Crow, Methvin, Portis & Miles, P.C.

A science and health publisher says years ago it published what appeared to be medical journals for a group of Australian doctors that heavily favored Merck and Co.’s drugs Fosamax and Vioxx. The journals didn’t list who paid for the publishing, when in fact the publications were sponsored by Merck.

Between 2002 and 2005, the Australian unit of Merck paid the publisher Elsevier to publish eight magazines under the title Australian Journal of Bone and Joint Medicine. The magazines appeared to be peer-reviewed medical journals but did not disclose any connection to Merck. The incident, brought to light recently during a personal injury lawsuit in Australia over Vioxx, has raised concerns in international medical publishing.

Vioxx, a brand name of the anti-inflammatory drug Rofecoxib used to treat osteoporosis and acute pain, was pulled from the market in 2004 following reports of increased risk of heart attack and stroke associated with long-term, high-dosage use of Rofecoxib.

Fosamax, a bisphosphate designed to increase the amount of bone in patients who suffer from osteoporosis, has also come under fire in recent years after reports of a severe bone disease affecting the jaw called osteonecrosis of the jaw, or ONj. ONj decreases the local blood supply to the jaw bone, causing damage and death to the jaw bone. Several cases of ONj require the removal of the affected bone.

Since the disclosure, both Merck and Elsevier say they have stopped publishing the journals.

Source: Associated Press

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