Merck has agreed to make a $4.85 billion settlement fund to end a vast number of Vioxx lawsuits from U.S. patients. The company stressed that this does not constitute a class-action settlement, but that the fund will cover qualified claims on a case-by-case basis. Merck will set aside $4 billion for myocardial infarction (MI) claims and $850 million for ischemic stroke claims. The fund “is a fixed amount to be allocated among qualifying claimants based on their individual evaluation,&#8...