$468m

PFIZER PAYS $468 MILLION FOR HIDING CARDIOVASCULAR RISKS (2016)

Pfizer shareholders sued headquarters for covering up the safety risks of Celebrex and Bextra, which allegedly caused financial losses. The pain relievers were linked to an increased risk of heart attacks and strokes.

Shareholders alleged that the company knew that the drugs posed cardiovascular risks—as revealed in safety study results conducted between 1998 and 2004—but that they failed to tell the public. In 2016, Pfizer paid $468 million to settle the lawsuit.

MERCK PAYS $688 MILLION FOR VYTORIN (2013)

Merck’s shareholders filed two class action lawsuits against headquarters when it was revealed that the company concealed the poor results of Vytorin, a rival anti-cholesterol drug, in its clinical trial. The trial found that Vytorin didn’t prevent buildup of plaque in the arteries any better than less expensive drugs.

When results were published in 2008, Merck shares fell 15%. Shareholders alleged that the company kept the results of the trial to themselves for more than a year. Merck paid $688 million to settle the lawsuits.

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