Vioxx (rofecoxib) News and Research

RSS

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Vioxx was withdrawn from U.S. drugstores in September 2004 after a Merck study showed that long-term users of the drug had twice the risk of heart attack and stroke.

Researchers identify potential targets for more effective analgesic drugs with potentially fewer side effects

Studying mice, pain researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have identified two key components in the pain cascade that may provide targets for more effective analgesic drugs with potentially fewer side effects

6 Apr 2006

Inflammation cuts both ways

Inflammation cuts both ways. When invaded by an infectious agent, for example, the body calls on the forces of inflammation to fight and defeat the intruder.

6 Apr 2006

Celebrex appears to prevent colon cancer

Researchers say they have found that high doses of the arthritis drug Celebrex reduced the number of pre-cancerous growths in the colon.

4 Apr 2006

Regular use of COX-2 inhibitors may reduce the risk of breast cancer

Results from a new, five-year study show that regular use of popular prescription pain relievers may reduce the risk of breast cancer by up to 71 percent and may offer similar benefit in the prevention of prostate, colon and lung cancers.

4 Apr 2006

Sodium hyaluronate shown to help chronic shoulder pain

After the rise in safety concerns surrounding Vioxx and other Cox-2 inhibitors, people suffering from chronic shoulder pain were left with just two therapy options at opposite extremes - take Advil, or have surgery.

28 Mar 2006

Medicinal properties in mahogany bark may hold colon cancer cure

U of So. Carolina cancer researcher Dr. Michael Wargovich is studying whether medicinal properties in the bark of mahogany trees may hold clues to understanding colon cancer.

27 Mar 2006

FDA shields drug companies from lawsuits

Last month, the FDA revealed its latest protective policy for drug companies in a statement that said people who believe they have been injured by drugs approved by the FDA should not be allowed to sue drug companies in state courts.

1 Mar 2006

Celebrex safe for osteoarthritis

According to a study by Stanford University School of Medicine, Celebrex causes fewer gastrointestinal complications than traditional nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory painkillers or NSAIDs in osteoarthritis patients and does not increase the risk of heart attacks.

1 Mar 2006

So much for openness and enhanced oversight at FDA drug safety board!

The Drug Safety Oversight Board, created in February 2005, was originally introduced as a measure to speed up and help regulators respond to signs of unexpected side effects following a new drug hitting the market.

13 Feb 2006

Regular use of COX-2 inhibitors reduces breast cancer risk

A case-control study published today in the open access journal BMC Cancer observed that daily use of selective COX-2 inhibitors, including celecoxib (Celebrex) and rofecoxib (Vioxx), was associated with a 71% reduction in the risk of breast cancer.

2 Feb 2006

Celebrex and Vioxx reduce the risk of breast cancer

According to a new study, the regular use of drugs such as Celebrex and Vioxx significantly reduces the risk of breast cancer.

30 Jan 2006

Drug used worldwide doubles risk of kidney failure

A drug approved by the FDA, and sold worldwide for the last 13 years, has now been proven to double a patient's risk of kidney failure, and increase the risk of heart attack, heart failure, and stroke.

26 Jan 2006

Bristol-Myers Squibb agrees to record securities litigation settlement with sweeping drug disclosure requirements announces Labaton Sucharow

After prosecuting the securities litigation claims against Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. (BMS) for over five years, Labaton Sucharow, Lead Counsel representing the class and Lead Plaintiff, the LongView Collective Investment Fund of the Amalgamated Bank, reached an agreement in principle to settle the claims for $185 million in addition to meaningful corporate governance reforms that will affect future consumers and investors alike.

23 Jan 2006

Vioxx may still be the best option for treating some forms of arthritis

Scientists believe that despite the current concerns around anti-inflammatory drugs like Vioxx, they may still be the best option for treating some forms of arthritis.

18 Jan 2006

Pfizer to fund independent trial on Celebrex and heart risks

Drug company Pfizer Inc., the maker of Celebrex, will pay for an international study of 20,000 people.

14 Dec 2005

Is the FDA too influenced by big pharma?

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) historically sound reputation could be in jeopardy due to it's possibly too close relationship with the major pharmaceutical companies.

12 Dec 2005

Findings may help in development of new anti-inflammatory compounds

Virginia Commonwealth University researchers studying the enzyme that triggers inflammation have found that it may be a target for a new class of anti-inflammatory drugs to treat arthritis, asthma, multiple sclerosis, lung and colon cancers and Alzheimer's disease.

2 Dec 2005

Warnings on popular asthma drug could damage drug giant

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is recommending new restrictions on the asthma drug Advair.

21 Nov 2005

Taking either COX-2 inhibitors or NSAIDs after a heart attack increases the risk of death

In recent years, evidence has shown that patients treated with selective cyclo-oxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitors are at increased risk of heart attack and death. COX-2 inhibitors are used primarily to treat pain and arthritis in patients at risk of gastrointestinal bleeding.

13 Nov 2005