Addressing the FDA drug safety panel Thursday, Merck research chief Peter Kim said that "if the advisory committee and the FDA conclude that the benefits of this class outweigh the risks in some patient populations, then we would have to consider the implications of these new data given the unique benefits Vioxx offers." - Marketwatch
This is expected. When drugs contribute unrivaled benefits, with mitigated risks (even though there are risks), we tend to use them. Many drugs have risks, and many drugs we use commonly have serious risks. Balancing risks and benefits is the job of the physician and patient. We can't throw out drugs just because the present (media hyped) risks. Vioxx may well be a drug we should view as a great medicine with some scary risks. Patients and doctors may best decide when to apply this drug, regardless of risk.