There has been a settlement in a lawsuit that claimed Merck and Schering-Plough conspired to delay the release of studies that showed Vytorin was no more effective than other less expensive cholesterol drugs that have been on the market for years. Reuters reports that Merck and Schering-Plough have agreed to pay a combined $41.5 million to settle more than 100 lawsuits filed by consumers and health plans over Vytorin. Earlier this year, the companies agreed to pay $5.4 million to settle claims filed by 35 state attorneys general regarding the drug. Lewis Krauskopf, Reuters 08/05/2009