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Reaction to Vioxx

Serious cases of reaction to Vioxx prompted the drug's manufacturer, Merck, to voluntarily recall Vioxx from the market on September 30, 2004. Vioxx is a prescription non-steroidal anti inflammatory (NSAID) drug that was used to treat osteoarthritis pain, rheumatoid arthritis, and other forms of acute pain. Before serious cases of reaction to Vioxx were discovered, this drug was hailed as a "super pain killer" prescribed as an alternative to other pain medicines associated with adverse health complications.

A number of recent studies have shown that reaction to Vioxx can include serious heart problems and stroke. A patient taking Vioxx is twice as likely to suffer from a stroke or a heart attack as people who are not taking this medication. Because of these cases of severe adverse reaction to Vioxx, its manufactures pulled Vioxx from the market, stating that the potential risks and reaction to Vioxx outweighed the potential benefits of taking this pain reliever.

Vioxx was developed in the 1990s in order to provide a NSAID that did not cause the type of adverse physical reaction that was associated with original NSAIDs (such as naproxen). The original group of NSAIDs caused gastrointestinal problems in patients. New drugs were developed, Vioxx included, that were to provide effective pain relief without harmful physical side effects.

The makers of Vioxx ran a series of internal studies in order to discover the different types of reaction to Vioxx that may be possible. One study, called VIGOR, was conducted to test the reaction to Vioxx on the gastrointestinal system of the body. The results indicated that the gastrointestinal reaction to Vioxx was less severe than the reaction to original NSAIDs. The study also hinted at a possible elevated risk for developing heart attack or stroke while taking Vioxx, compared to taking the original NSAIDs but the discovery was not enough to provoke Merck to remove Vioxx from the market.

A second study, called APPROVe was conducted to test colon polyps' reaction to Vioxx. This study was cut short after eighteen months of research when serious averse cases of reaction to Vioxx began to occur in several patients. A number of Vioxx patients suffered heart attack and stroke after eighteen months of treatment. The researchers found that a negative reaction to Vioxx that leads to heart attack or stroke is two times more likely to affect Vioxx users than people in the general population.

Because of the serious reaction to Vioxx found in clinical studies, the drug was taken off the market. If you have been injured as a result of a negative reaction to Vioxx, you may wish to contact an attorney to discover what your legal rights and options might be in a case to recover compensation for your losses.

For more information on the reaction to vioxx and your legal rights, please contact us.

More Vioxx Resources

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

Vioxx.com - Official Vioxx Roxecofib site from Merck.

Vioxx Drug Warnings - Vioxx side effects information including lawsuit information and vioxx warnings.

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