Merck pulled Vioxx, a popular pain reliever widely used by arthritis patients, off the market in September, saying it was "putting patient safety first" but the Wall Street Journal reported earlier that company officials had fought for years to protect the highly profitable drug and to keep news of the health risks quiet.
About 20 million Americans had taken Vioxx by the time Merck withdrew it.
The U.S. government has given an ultimatum to the international group that helps provide vaccines to...
