VIOXX PULLED FROM MARKET

In a press conference Merck & Co. announced the withdrawal of the arthritis drug Vioxx from the market worldwide on September 30, 2004 because an ongoing trial confirmed that the medication increases the risk of heart attack and strokes.

The drug maker said that the immediate withdrawal was based on data from a three-year colon cancer clinical trial that showed a heightened risk of cardiovascular complications began 18 months after patients started taking Vioxx rather than placebos.

Merck released Vioxx in the United States in 1999 and since that time over 100 million prescriptions have been written in the US alone.  It is marketed in over 80 countries and is one of the 30 most prescribed drugs in the United States.

Past clinical test results had indicated that Vioxx increased the risk of blood clots which could lead to heart attacks and strokes.  Despite these concerns, patients still opted for Vioxx as an effective treatment for arthritis inflammation and pain because they felt it caused less gastrointestinal side-effects than other alternatives.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that it will closely watch drugs in the same class as Vioxx for any signs they might raise the risk of serious problems.  Drugs in this class include Celebrex and Bextra.

Any patient currently taking Vioxx should consult their healthcare provider immediately and get an alternative course of treatment.

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