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Wednesday, Mar. 23, 2005 | ||
Vioxx hardly the only drug with risky side effectsBy Suzy Cohen, R.Ph. Q. I heard on TV that Vioxx is coming back. Who did they pay off to make this happen? N.H., San Diego. A. There is nothing to suggest a payoff, and no one has decided that Vioxx is coming back yet. A panel of researchers at the FDA is thinking about it. As you know, Merck voluntarily took the drug off the market last year because of the increased risk for heart attack and stroke. You should know that many drugs have increased risk for heart attack and stroke and are still dispensed by the thousands every day, to people who rely on the drugs benefits. Im not saying its right; Im simply offering you more perspective and clarity. So as Vioxx collects dust in a box somewhere, other drugs in the same class continue to rake in millions of dollars. The cloud of suspicion looms over Vioxxs competitors (like Celebrex, for example) because they, too, have shown some dangerous side effects. Other competitors, like Bextra, have not been tested rigorously enough, so little is known about them. It is certain that COX II arthritic drugs can potentially affect the heart to some degree. Pretend youre Mr. Merck. You might be thinking something like this. Hmm, our competitors make drugs that can cause heart attack and stroke. Why are they still sold while Vioxx is gone? As a matter of clinical record, Vioxx is good at reducing arthritic pain and helped many more people than it harmed. Compared to ibuprofen and naproxen, Vioxx does not really harm the GI system. Personally, I dont think any drugs with side effects such as heart attack or stroke should be sold in the U.S., but that decision is out of my control. | ||
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