Vioxx fallout hits Merck profit; 300 suits filed

Home Health Columnist / Guide · Oct 26, 2004

new trial of celebrex, and questions on its timing

less than three weeks after merck withdrew its arthritis painkiller vioxx from the market because it increased the risk of heart attacks, pfizer inc. has announced plans to test if its best-selling painkiller celebrex, which is in the same class of drugs as vioxx, can do the opposite - help prevent heart attacks. but pfizer's announcement is raising questions.

new york times, oct. 19, 2004

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pfizer mounts ad campaign to attract vioxx users

just weeks after merck & co. pulled its anti-inflammatory drug vioxx from the market, pfizer inc. is mounting a wide-scale, consumer-oriented ad campaign to get people to ask their doctors about the company's celebrex painkiller.

wall street journal (subscription required), oct. 20, 2004

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celebrex

what side effects may occur?

side effects cannot be anticipated. if any develop or change in intensity, inform your doctor as soon as possible. only your doctor can determine if it is safe for you to continue taking celebrex.

more common side effects may include:
abdominal pain, diarrhea, headache, indigestion, nausea, respiratory infection, sinus inflammation

less common side effects may include:
back pain, dizziness, gas, insomnia, rash, runny nose, sore throat, swelling

rare side effects may include:

allergic reactions, anxiety, belching, blisters in mouth and eyes, blood disorders, blood infections, blurred vision, bone disorders, breast pain, breast problems, bronchitis, cataracts, chest pain, colitis, conjunctivitis (pinkeye), constipation, coughing, cysts, dark-tarry stools, deafness, depression, dermatitis, diabetes, difficult urination, difficulty breathing, difficulty swallowing, drowsiness, dry mouth, dry skin, earache, ear infection, ear ringing, esophageal perforation, eye infection, eye pain, fainting, fatigue, fever, flu symptoms, fungal infection, gallstones, gangrene, general swelling, glaucoma (pressure in the eye), hair loss, heart failure, heart irregularities, hemorrhoids, hepatitis, hernia of the stomach, herpes infection, hives, hot flashes, increased appetite, increased blood pressure, increased heart rate, increased muscle tone, increased urination, infection, inflammation of the digestive tract, inflammation of the bladder, inflammation of the blood vessels, intestinal bleeding, intestinal obstruction or perforation, itching, jaundice, joint pain or inflammation, kidney problems, laryngitis, leg cramps, liver problems, loss of appetite, loss of balance, low blood sugar, menstrual disorders, migraine headache, mouth ulcers, muscle ache, nail disorders, neck stiffness, nerve pain, nervousness, nosebleeds, pain, painful urination, pancreatitis, phlebitis, pneumonia, poor coordination, prostate problems, severe diarrhea, severe skin rash and peeling, skin reaction due to sunlight, skin sensitivity, skin tingling, stroke, suicide, sweating, swollen face and throat, taste disturbances, tendonitis, tiredness, tooth disorders, urinary incontinence, urinary tract infections, lady partsl problems, vomiting, weakness, weight gain

http://www.healthsquare.com/newrx/cel1078.htm

things that make you go hummmmmmmmmmmmmm...

BeachNurse · Oct 26, 2004

vioxx fallout hits merck profit; 300 suits filed
merck & co. inc. says that third-quarter earnings have plunged 29 percent because of its vioxx recall, and the company has disclosed that more than 300 lawsuits have been filed by users of the arthritis painkiller. the withdrawal of vioxx, the biggest drug recall ever, has reduced merck's third-quarter profit by $552.6 million, and the company predicts 2004 earnings will fall as much as 11 percent.
philadelphia inquirer, oct. 22, 2004

what a surprise. the very day the vioxx announcement came out, the tv stations in my area flooded us with lawyers asking "did you take vioxx???" :uhoh3:

i took it for about 2 months and stopped since it did nothing to help my arthritis pain.