Merck agreed to pay $23 million to settle a nationwide class-action lawsuit claiming the company misled consumers into purchasing its Vioxx pain medication. The lawsuit alleged that Merck made false statements about Vioxx’s cardiovascular safety and effectiveness. The settlement class includes individuals who purchased Vioxx through September 30, 2004 (when Vioxx was pulled from the market) except those who purchased Vioxx while a resident of the state of Missouri and private and governmental third-party payors, all of whom had previously reached separate settlement agreements with Merck.