Vioxx Case

Vioxx Case

Objective:

To determine if Vioxx caused a significant increase in the risk of developing serious heart problems.

Data:

A study had 1287 patients use Vioxx for an 18-month period, and it had 1299 patients use a placebo over the same period. After 18 months, 45 of the Vioxx patients had developed serious heart problems, and 25 patients on the placebo developed heart problems.

Methodology:

A 2 Group test for P was used to calculate the percentage of patients with heart problems for both groups, and to determine if Vioxx caused a significant increase in the risk of developing serious heart problems. The test states that:

Ho P1 = P2

Ha P1 ≠ P2

Results:

| |Group 1 |Group 2 |Pooled |

|Yes |45 |25 |70 |

|n |1287 |1299 |2586 |

| | | | |

|phat |0.034965 |0.019246 |0.027069 |

| | | | |

|alpha |0.05 | | |

| | | | |

|tcrit |1.960882 | | |

| | | | |

|SE |0.006383 | | |

| | | | |

|tcalc |2.46287 | | |

| | | | |

|PV |0.013848 | | |

PV < alpha

Reject Ho and Accept Ha

There is a difference.

Discussion:

The results of the 2 Group test for P show that Vioxx caused a significant increase in the risk of developing serious heart problems. The test shows that this...