Merck and Schering-Plough have agreed to pay a combined $41.5 million to settle more than 100 lawsuits filed by consumers and health plans over the cholesterol drug Vytorin. According to the lawsuit, the companies conspired to delay the release of studies that showed the drug to be no more effective than less expensive drug that had been on the market for years. Earlier this year, the companies agreed to pay $5.4 million to settle claims by 35 state attorneys general. Lewis Krauskopf, Reuters 08/05/2009
