Vioxx (rofecoxib) News and Research

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Vioxx, also known as refecoxib, is a prescription COX-2 selective, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) that was approved by FDA in May 1999 for the relief of the signs and symptoms of osteoarthritis, for the management of acute pain in adults, and for the treatment of menstrual symptoms.

Vioxx was withdrawn from U.S. drugstores in September 2004 after a Merck study showed that long-term users of the drug had twice the risk of heart attack and stroke.

New class of super NSAIDs

Building on previous work, researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine have found that deleting an inflammation enzyme in a mouse model of heart disease slowed the development of atherosclerosis.

12 Sep 2006

TV advertising of prescription drugs may increase visits to doctor not actual sales

TV advertising of prescription drugs may be prompting more people to visit their doctors rather than substantially increasing sales of advertised drugs, according to research led by the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC).

12 Sep 2006

Drug ads and their influence on patients and doctors

Television ads for prescription drugs are everywhere, enticing people to ask their doctors for this drug or that one, but the effect this type of ad has on American healthcare may be more complicated than simply inducing patients to choose one brand or the other, according to a team of researchers.

12 Sep 2006

VIOXX reduces risk of colorectal polyps

A researcher from Dartmouth reports the results of a clinical trial that shows that the cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitor rofecoxib (VIOXX.) reduces the risk of colorectal adenomas, or polyps.

30 Aug 2006

COX-2 inhibitors prescribed to reduce gastrointestinal toxicity prior to the market withdrawals

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) have been the most popular treatment for arthritis - despite their association with gastrointestinal (GI) complications, including bleeding ulcers and death.

27 Jul 2006

Vioxx user was a heart attack waiting to happen

In the on-going court battle facing drug company Merck over it's blockbuster painkiller Vioxx, a lawyer for Merck has said one of the plaintiffs was more or less a heart attack waiting to happen regardless of Vioxx.

12 Jul 2006

Safety of popular painkiller Tylenol questioned

According to a new study the popular painkiller Tylenol may not be as safe to take as previously thought.

5 Jul 2006

Doctors put their foot down over drug advertising

The American Medical Association (AMA), the largest doctors group in the U.S., has announced a new policy on the direct-to-consumer advertising of prescription drugs and implantable medical devices.

18 Jun 2006

COX enzymes work together in ways that suggest new biological roles

COX enzymes - well-known for their contrasting role in cardiovascular biology - interact physically to form a previously unrecognized biochemical partnership and function in the development of blood vessels in a mouse model.

9 Jun 2006

COX-1 and COX-2 enzymes may be blocked by pain medications

COX-1 and COX-2 enzymes may be blocked by pain medications such as Advil and Vioxx in a more complex manner than was previously understood, a Queen's University study has found.

29 May 2006

Common painkillers could up chance of heart failure in seniors

New research has revealed that commonly used over-the-counter painkillers, such as ibuprofen, are linked with a 30% increased risk of first hospital admission for heart failure.

22 May 2006

Vaccine against cervical cancer on track for FDA approval

According to the Food and Drug Administration in the U.S. an experimental vaccine which prevents cervical cancer appears to be effective and has no major safety concerns.

17 May 2006

Experts say Vioxx poses risks long after patients stop taking it

According to a leading American cardiologist patients who have taken the drug Vioxx are still at high risk of heart attacks or strokes even after they stop taking the medication.

14 May 2006

Heart risks from Vioxx happen much earlier than believed

A new study led by Queen's University researcher Linda Livesque shows that heart attacks related to the use of Vioxx - a drug once popular for the treatment of pain and inflammation - can occur within the first two weeks of use.

3 May 2006

Alternative anti-inflammatory drugs promise less cardiovascular problems

New type of anti-inflammatory drugs may reduce COX-2 cardiovascular problems, says Queen's researcher

25 Apr 2006

Herbal medicines may be as effective as pain medication for short-term low back pain

The herbal preparations devil's claw, white willow bark and cayenne plasters may be as effective as pain medication for short-term low back pain and are better than placebo, a new systematic review of studies has found.

18 Apr 2006

Possible alternatives found for Vioxx and Celebrex

According to Canadian and American researchers they have identified one reason why drugs like Celebrex and Vioxx - once popular for the treatment of pain and inflammation - cause heart problems.

18 Apr 2006

Researchers clarify the mechanism by which drugs like Celebrex and Vioxx cause heart problems

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine have clarified the mechanism by which drugs like Celebrex and Vioxx cause heart problems, in multiple animal models.

18 Apr 2006

U.S. watchdog says Xenical should be withdrawn

A consumer watchdog group in the U.S., Public Citizen, has petitioned the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to withdraw the prescription diet drug Xenical (orlistat) from the market; the group also want the FDA to refuse approval for the weight-loss pill to be made widely available over the counter.

11 Apr 2006