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Celebrex Alternative

Arthritis patients were wondering what drugs are safe to take following the September 30, 2004 Merck & Co. issued Vioxx recall, the largest prescription drug recall of all time, and believed the Celebrex alternative was safer. Pfizer Inc. manufactures Celebrex, as well as Bextra, and the two drugs were only remaining COX-2 inhibitors available on the market since the Vioxx recall announcement was made. In the month following the Vioxx recall, sales of Celebrex jumped, topping $260 million in October, or 63.5 percent of the market.

Although U.S. and European regulators have been looking into the safety of the entire class of COX-2 drugs in response to the increased risk of heart attacks and stroke that prompted the Vioxx recall, experts believed Pfizer's Celebrex alternative was a much safer arthritis and other pain ailment choice. In early December, Pfizer disclosed Bextra is linked to an elevated risk of blood clots and heart attacks and strokes in cardiac surgery patients and the FDA said it was adding a warning to the labels of the drug to warn patients.

From the day Merck announced the Vioxx recall, Pfizer has issued news releases and statements expressing confidence that Celebrex did not cause heart problems and that "Pfizer is confident in the long-term cardiovascular safety of Celebrex." Patients previously prescribed Vioxx were being switched over to the Celebrex alternative believing their side effect risks were not related to Merck's problems.

With the Vioxx recall and the additional Bextra warnings, no other COX-2 was available on the market but Celebrex. When COX-2 drugs emerged on the market, the drugs quickly became popular because their effectiveness in treating pain but with the benefit of protecting the stomach, which older drugs carried risks for. As it turns out, experts are realizing the drugs' risks may have outweighed the drugs' benefits.

On December 17, 2004, Pfizer announced the Celebrex alternative was found to have an increased risk of heart attacks. Over 27 million patients in the U.S. have been prescribed Celebrex since its approval. The arthritis patients that have been switched over to the Celebrex alternative are now questioning what alternative to Celebrex to take and if it will also be linked to serious safety concerns in the future.

The National Cancer Institute was conducting the study for Pfizer when it suspended the use of Celebrex after discovering the drug's dangers. Patients currently taking Celebrex, or Bextra, with heart disease are advised to avoid COX-2 inhibitors completely. For other people searching for a Celebrex alternative, patients should discuss possible pain management plans with their doctors. Some doctors are saying they will recommend non-prescription medicines like Advil as a Celebrex alternative in light of the new safety concerns.

Celebrex is currently the most-prescribed drug for treating arthritis. After Pfizer announced the heart risks, Pfizer's stock dropped. Merck's shares have dropped by nearly one-third since its Vioxx recall announcement was made.

If you have taken Celebrex arthritis drug and have suffered adverse reactions because of it, please contact us to speak with a lawyer for more information on Celebrex alternatives.

Contact a Celebrex Recall Lawyer

More Celebrex Resources

MedLine Plus Drug Information - Guide to prescription and over-the-counter medications provided by the United States Pharmacopeia.

Celebrex - A source of information about relief from arthritis pain including Osteoarthritis and Rheumatoid Arthritis.

CELEBREX IN THE NEWS