Vioxx to cost Merck at least $250 million in jury case

According to this article, the wife of a man who died from taking Vioxx, a pain-killer, was awarded $253 million for lost wages, lost companionship and emotional anguish. While Merck should have tested their drug better, and the FDA obviously let the ball drop on approving this medicine, I think the award is significantly severe and a bit over the top. This case has obviously hurt Merck, as their shares dropped more than $2 to $28.06 today.