Simvastatin is a drug marketed under the brand name of Zocor by Merck & Co.  Zocor and its generics are used to regulate high cholesterol in those who cannot control their cholesterol level through diet and exercise alone.

Simvastatin, or Zocor, was first marketed in 1979 when Merck scientists isolated a strain of the fungus Aspergillis terreus.  The fermentation of this fungal extract led to the discovery of a high-potency cholesterol inhibitor which would stop internal cholesterol overproduction, a major factor in heart disease.

With the discovery of the active ingredients in Zocor, the drug soon became Merck's largest selling pharmaceutical product.  Merck held the patent on Zocor until June of 2006, when generics were allowed to be produced.  It is estimated that Merck sold a total of $4.3 billion per year in Zocor before the patent expired.

Consumer watch groups & Zocor lawyers began petitioning the Food and Drug Administration to examine Zocor for a possible Zocor recall when it was found that several serious side effects were associated with its use.  Zocor carries a risk that the user will develop myopathy, a condition which causes muscle pain and weakness.  Women are more likely to develop myopathy from the use of Zocor than men, and a few patients develop a very deadly form of the disease known as rhabdomyolysis, which lead to kidney failure.

Signs that you are developing problems from taking Zocor or a generic form of simvastatin include:

• muscle pain or weakness
• dark or red urine
• unexplained fatigue

Any patients experiencing these side effects should stop taking Zocor and contact a doctor immediately.

Although the FDA failed to recall Zocor in the face of potential life-threatening problems, citizens' watch groups and personal injury lawyers have been hard at work to file claims against Merck and its subsidiaries for distributing Zocor without adequate warnings about side effects.  While Merck has taken no official position on the matter, no warning material was packaged with Zocor during the pertinent time period, and personal injury lawyers have already begun to file claims due to lack of proper warnings regarding Zocor's side effects.

These lawsuits are based on the idea that Merck had available to it from 1997 to 2000 the same data available to the watch groups, but failed to take action to discover why the side effects of Zocor were so harmful.  Further, several serious illnesses and deaths have been blamed on Zocor, and no warning was given that these could be possible problems for patients using the drug.

If you have been injured by Zocor, or know someone who has, it is time to talk to a personal injury attorney about your case and be sure that you file your claim against Merck in a timely manner.  If you hesitate, you may lose the right to file your claim, and lose the opportunity to collect damages.  It is very important that you talk with a personal injury lawyer immediately about any side effects you may have suffered due to Zocor usage.