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| Unsafe Drugs
:: Vioxx
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VIOXX - The drug rofecoxib, a Cox-2 Inhibitor NSAID (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug,) was FDA approved in 1999 and marketed under the brand name Vioxx by Merck & Co., Inc. Vioxx was used to treat arthritis, acute pain, fever, inflammation and menstrual cycle discomfort in adults. In 2002, Merck received approval from the FDA to market Vioxx for the treatment of migraines. A later 2004 FDA approval allowed the drug to be administered to children with rheumatoid arthritis.
In 2000, the New England Journal of Medicine reported the results of the Merck-sponsored Vioxx Gastrointestinal Outcomes Research (VIGOR) trial. The findings indicated that when administered for the same conditions, the use of Vioxx did result in a decreased risk of upper gastrointestinal toxicity but represented a five-fold increased risk of a myocardial infarction as compared to the NSAID drug, Naproxen.
The FDA sent a letter of warning to Merck in 2001 prohibiting the company from conducting any promotion for Vioxx that might minimize the serious cardiovascular events documented in the VIGOR study. A subsequent black box warning was required on Vioxx packaging, and in 2002, Merck forwarded a letter to physicians advising caution in prescribing Vioxx to certain patients.
A placebo-controlled trial sponsored by Merck called the Adenomatous Polyp Prevention on Vioxx (APPROVe) study, was cut short in September of 2004. Intended to be a long-term study of the effects of rofecoxib on adenomatous polyps of the large intestines, the trial was abandoned because of a marked increase in heart attacks and strokes among trial participants. Those using Vioxx continually, even for as little as eighteen months, were deemed to be at greater risk of serious cardiovascular events. One day after the study was halted, Merck withdrew Vioxx from the market.
More than twenty-seven thousand separate lawsuits have been filed against Merck on behalf of those harmed by the drug. Recently, a 4.85 billion-dollar settlement was reached in a class-action lawsuit that represented approximately forty thousand plaintiffs.
The increased risk for heart attacks and strokes attributed to the use of Vioxx is well documented. Other symptoms of serious complications from the use of Vioxx may include, but are not limited to:
· Abdominal pain, nausea, discomfort or tenderness
· Bloody vomit or spontaneous bleeding
· Black, tarry or bloody stools
· Water retention or other unexplained increase in weight
· Yellowing of the eyes or skin
· Unexplained bruising
· Skin rash
· Symptoms that resemble the flu
If you or someone you know has taken Vioxx and experienced commonly recognized, or unexplained side effects, use the form below for a free evaluation with an attorney who specializes in Vioxx cases. Unsafe drug cases are complex and guidance by an attorney who is intimately familiar with the drug is crucial.
If you have safety concerns about the use of Vioxx, our free evaluation may provide important information.
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| Vioxx In the News |
Merck: Making Money The Hard Way - IRA
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Drug Makers Dial Down TV Advertising - New York Times (blog)
Drug Makers Dial Down TV AdvertisingNew York Times (blog)... heavily advertised painkiller Vioxx after studies showed it increased the risk of heart attacks and strokes. Such controversies have led to greater scrutiny of drug...
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Doctors see mixed blessing in Paula Deen as spokeswoman for diabetes drug - Tampabay.com
Doctors see mixed blessing in Paula Deen as spokeswoman for diabetes drugTampabay.comVictoza, approved by the FDA two years ago, is injected once a day to stimulate the release of insulin. It's often used with other...
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Would You Take a Drug Because of Celebrity Advertising? Some Regret That They Did. - Food Consumer
Would You Take a Drug Because of Celebrity Advertising? Some Regret That They Did.Food ConsumerTV personality Joan Lunden and former baseball star Mike Piazza stumped for the allergy pill Claritin, ice skater Dorothy Hamill...
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Deadly Dangers from Drugstore Pain Meds a Painful Surprise - Forbes
ForbesDeadly Dangers from Drugstore Pain Meds a Painful SurpriseForbesSeveral years ago, the prescription NSAIDs Vioxx and Bextra were pulled from the market after they were found to put people at risk for heart attack....
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EMA group drafts guidelines for copycat versions of interferon beta; Capstone ... - FierceBiotech
EMA group drafts guidelines for copycat versions of interferon beta; Capstone ...FierceBiotechItem | Follow @JohnCFierce @RyanMFierce: Sanofi's Viehbacher to FDA: We need clear risk-benefit guidance to invest in primary...
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Blood-thinning drug linked to heart attack risk - Los Angeles Times
Blood-thinning drug linked to heart attack riskLos Angeles TimesRecent history has taught medical professionals that the full effects of a new medication may not be apparent until it is in widespread use — sometimes years...
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Four Creepy Ways Big Pharma Peddles its Drugs - truthout
Four Creepy Ways Big Pharma Peddles its DrugstruthoutNow ads tout Cymbalta as a "non-narcotic, once daily analgesic FDA approved for three indications across four different chronic pain conditions," as if it does...
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