Texas Justice and the Industry's Image

With its $253 million judgment against Merck & Co. Inc. (reduced to $26.1 million under Texas law), the jury "sent a message" about what it perceived as the pharmaceutical industry's culture of greed. Ironically Merck's liability gives it a rare opportunity to right the ship. But will industry's tarnished image impede the approval and use of Merck's most important upcoming product, the HPV vaccine Gardasil?