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Celebrex Safety

Celebrex is approved in the United States for the treatment of arthritis pain at doses of 100 milligrams to 200 milligrams a day and double that amount for rheumatoid arthritis. Made by the world's biggest drugmaker, Pfizer Inc., Celebrex safety in recent months has been questioned. On September 30, 2004, Merck & Co. announced it was recalling its similar arthritis drug to Celebrex called Vioxx. A Vioxx study found the drug doubled the incidence of heart attack and stroke among patients taking it for 18 months or longer.

The Vioxx recall announcement was controversial, putting in question the FDA's ability to adequately protect the public and how much influence the drug industry has over the federal agency. Pfizer immediately issued statements, reassuring the public that there were no Celebrex safety concerns. Celebrex belongs to the same class of drug as Vioxx called COX-2 inhibitors. After Vioxx was recalled, just two COX-2 drugs remained on the market- Pfizer's Celebrex and Bextra, and the Vioxx recall prompted discussions of whether the entire class of drug is linked to safety concerns.

Up until as late as December 6, 2004, Pfizer continued to maintain patients could be confident of Celebrex safety despite continuing questions about COX-2s. Just after the Vioxx recall the FDA added a warning about heart trouble to Bextra labeling, Pfizer's other COX-2 drug on the market. Though many believed Celebrex safety was superior to that of Vioxx and Bextra, the Public Citizen consumer group that monitors the FDA has been preparing a petition asking the FDA to take Celebrex and Bextra off the market.

The watchdog group's Celebrex safety concerns were substantiated when Pfizer announced December 17, 2004, just 11 weeks after the Vioxx recall, that the National Cancer Institute suspended a trial after finding patients in the cancer study taking 400 to 800 milligrams of Celebrex daily had two the three times the cardiovascular risk than those taking a placebo. Regulators in the U.S. and Europe were already taking a closer look at COX-2 drugs, and under controversial and public scrutiny, both the FDA and Pfizer has come under heavy criticism among those angry with the discovery of Celebrex safety concerns so soon after the Vioxx recall, which was the largest prescription drug recall of all time.

Despite federal warnings to doctors that Celebrex safety concerns included double the risk of heart attack and stroke and alternative medications should be considered, Pfizer continues to defend its drug, noting a series of large studies have shown Celebrex risk to be smaller than other treatment options. The FDA said it was contemplating tougher action against Celebrex in light of the new Celebrex safety findings, including more stringent warnings or removing the drug from the market.

Pfizer says it will keep Celebrex on the market but has agreed to stop advertising Celebrex to consumers. According to analysts, Pfizer spent $71 million on advertising Celebrex in the first nine months of 2004, which is one of the biggest ad budgets for a prescription drug. Over 27 million patients in the U.S. alone have been prescribed Celebrex, and following the Vioxx recall patients formerly taking Vioxx believed better Celebrex safety records allowed for an alternate treatment.

The latest cardiovascular Celebrex safety concerns have left patients wondering what drug treatment to trust. Industry analysts believe the Celebrex safety announcement will negatively affect Pfizer's reputation - a company that has been admired for its drug development and marketing. Sen. Edward M. Kennedy of Massachusetts described the Celebrex safety development saying that the FDA's "record on protecting us from harmful prescription drugs is a catastrophic failure."

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

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.

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