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FDA issues advisory to doctors about Celebrex and Bextra

December 24, 2004

The FDA is warning doctors to be cautious if prescribing Pfizer Inc.'s arthritis painkillers Celebrex and Bextra to their patients.

The two controversial drugs are part of the class of drugs known as Cox-2 inhibitors, which also included the recently recalled drug Vioxx. Vioxx was recalled after it was linked to double the risk of major cardiovascular events, leaving safety concerns about the entire class of drugs.

Despite warnings following the Vioxx recall of cardiovascular events linked to both Celebrex and Bextra, Pfizer says there are no plans to withdraw them.

The drug agency's warning seemed less urgent compared to the warning the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency in Britain issued just two days prior. UK officials advised doctors with patients currently taking Celebrex and Bextra to switch arthritic patients with heart disease to other medicines "as soon as is convenient."

Director of Public Citizen's Health Research Group, Dr. Sidney Wolfe, criticized the FDA's advisory as "once again siding with a large pharmaceutical company, in the case Pfizer, in refusing to ban" both Celebrex and Bextra.

The FDA advisory also urges consumers to strictly follow label instructions on non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), which includes over-the-counter drugs like naproxen (Aleve).

For more information on Celebrex warnings, please contact us to confer with a Celebrex Lawyer and learn your legal rights and options.

 

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