Merck KGaA controversies

Merck files Januvia patent suit against Laurus

Lawsuit filed

Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp. filed a patent suit in the District of Delaware against Laurus Labs Limited and Laurus Generics Inc. after the defendants submitted an ANDA to the FDA seeking to produce a generic version of Januvia. Merck is seeking a declaration of patent infringement; the filing describes the alleged infringement, not a court determination.

Gardasil injury lawsuit filed against Merck

Lawsuit filed

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. says he and Baum Hedlund filed a lawsuit against Merck alleging that its Gardasil HPV vaccine caused severe, life-changing injuries. The claims are allegations; the source reports no court determination.

United Kingdom trademark ruling involving Merck & Co.

The High Court of Justice in the United Kingdom held that Merck & Co. had breached an agreement and infringed Merck KGaA’s rights through use of the Merck name in circumstances directed at the UK market.

Trademark dispute with the German Merck Group

Merck & Co. and the German Merck Group continued to contest the use of the Merck name in various jurisdictions, reflecting their separate corporate histories and territorial trademark arrangements.

Sponsored medical-journal supplements

Merck’s Australian affiliate paid Elsevier to produce medical-journal issues that presented reprinted, favorable material without clearly identifying the commercial sponsorship. The practice became public during Vioxx litigation and was acknowledged by an Elsevier executive as unacceptable.

Generics UK price and supply-fixing settlement

Merck’s former British Generics business paid an out-of-court settlement to the UK Department of Health and Social Care concerning allegations that drug companies restricted supplies and increased prices for medicines supplied to the National Health Service.

Merck withdraws Vioxx worldwide

Merck voluntarily removed the COX-2 painkiller Vioxx from worldwide markets after evidence linked prolonged use with increased cardiovascular risk.

Vioxx safety controversy and withdrawal

Merck withdrew Vioxx after clinical evidence indicated increased cardiovascular risks associated with certain patterns of use. The withdrawal generated extensive personal-injury litigation and criticism concerning risk evaluation, disclosure, and marketing.

Kelco air-emissions pollution

Merck subsidiary Kelco was linked to volatile-organic-compound emissions in the San Diego area. Merck later paid an environmental penalty and installed equipment intended to reduce emissions.

Merck’s activities during the Nazi period and wartime forced labor

Historical accounts describe the political roles of company leader Karl Emanuel Merck during Nazi rule, the production of war-related chemicals and pharmaceuticals, and the use of forced laborers at the Darmstadt plant during the Second World War.