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DRUG Information

DRUG MANUFACTURER:
Merck & Co., Inc.

BRAND NAME:
Vioxx®

GENERIC NAME:
Rofecoxib

DRUG INFO:
Vioxx, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, was prescribed as a painkiller for:

• Osteoarthritis
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Dysmenorrhea (painful menstruation)
• Migraine headaches

RECALL INFO:
Vioxx was pulled from the U.S. market in 2004 due a marked increase in risk for heart attacks and strokes, especially among long-time users.

 

Vioxx News

Merck To Fund $4.85 Billion Vioxx Settlement
CBS News — July 17, 2008

Maker of Vioxx Is Accused of Deception
Washington Post — April 16, 2008

FDA Requests Relabeling for Vioxx, Vioxx Withdrawn from Market
FDA Web site — last updated July 18, 2005

 

 

Vioxx® (Rofecoxib) Recall

On September 30, 2004, Merck & Co., Inc. the makers of Vioxx withdrew the drug from the U.S. market after several studies including one by the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) revealed that the drug increased the risks of heart attack and stroke. On the market since 1999, Vioxx was a popular medication that was prescribed to over 80 million people worldwide.

Topics on this page:

• What is Vioxx?
• Vioxx Recall
• Health Risks: Why did Merck withdraw Vioxx?
• Contact an Experienced Personal Injury Attorney

 

What is Vioxx?

Vioxx® is a painkiller that was used to treat osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis including some forms of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, painful menstruation (dysmenorrhea), migraine headaches, and other types of pain in adults.

 

Vioxx Recall

Following FDA approval on May 20, 1999, Vioxx was a popular medication that was prescribed to over 80 million people worldwide, until it was withdrawn from the market on September 30, 2004. This drug has been linked to increased risk of heart attack and stroke, especially with long-term high dosage use.

Merck & Co., Inc., the manufacturer of Vioxx, made $2.5 billion in Vioxx sales alone in just one year before the drug was taken off the market.

Vioxx is a member of the family of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) called “COX-2 inhibitors.” Other drugs in this family include Celebrex and Bextra.   Vioxx is also related to the nonselective NSAIDs, such as ibuprofen and naproxen. Other brand names for Vioxx include Ceoxx® and Ceeoxx®. It was available in tablet and oral suspension form.

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Health Risks: Why did Merck withdraw Vioxx?

Vioxx was withdrawn from the market based on studies that showed patients taking Vioxx had an increased risk of getting heart attacks and strokes. Patients who took Vioxx in the study had an increased risk of these cardiovascular problems, after using the drug for 18 months.

This study contradicted Merck’s earlier claim that the drug was safe. For example, on May 22, 2001, Merck distributed a misleading news release, entitled “Merck Confirms Favorable Cardiovascular Safety Profile of Vioxx.”

Several other clinical studies also established that Vioxx increased patients’ risk of strokes and heart attack:

• In 2001, a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association concluded that Vioxx patients were at twice the normal risk of strokes and heart attacks as people taking an older medication.

• In October 2002, a Vanderbilt University study of Medicaid patients taking high doses of Vioxx in Tennessee found that they suffered significantly more heart attacks and strokes than patients who were not taking high doses.

• In 2002, Elucida Research’s laboratory study discovered that Vioxx caused blood clots, one of the serious side effects in patients taking Vioxx.

Finally, in August 2004, the Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) conducted its own Vioxx study, analyzing the health records of approximately 1.4 million people in the Kaiser Permanente health care system. The FDA found that patients taking Vioxx had a 50% greater chance of having a heart attack or sudden cardiac death compared to those using Celebrex, a drug manufactured by Pfizer.

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Contact an Experienced Dangerous Drug Attorney

KCR dangerous drug attorneys have handled thousands of cases involving defective and dangerous drugs such as Vioxx. In recent years, KCR has litigated and settled numerous nationwide cases involving dangerous drugs and medical devices and products such as:

• Phen-Fen diet drugs
• Intergel anti-adhesion surgical product
• Guidant defibrillators and pacemakers

If you or a loved one has been harmed by an adverse reaction to a dangerous drug like Vioxx, please fill out and submit the contact form on this page for a free case evaluation or call us toll-free at (888) 285-3333.

 

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