LIBRARY > VIOXX

Vioxx (Rofecoxib) is a class of drug known as a Cox-2 inhibitor. It is an anti-inflammatory analgesic that was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration in 1999 for the treatment of acute pain in adults, and particularly for the treatment of pain due to arthritis, osteoarthritis, or menstrual pain.

The manufacturer of Vioxx, Merck & Company, told physicians that Vioxx was both more effective, and had fewer side effects, than other, older drugs. However, many physicians found that over-the-counter medications such as ibuprofen were more effective at pain relief than Vioxx, and that Vioxx was 10 to 15 times more expensive than over-the-counter medication. Despite these findings, physicians readily prescribed Vioxx, and sales of Vioxx were nearly $2.5 billion in 2003.

Since the introduction of Vioxx, serious concerns have been raised about an association between the use of Vioxx and an increased risk of heart attack and stroke. On September 30, 2004, the manufacturer of Vioxx, Merck and Company, voluntarily withdrew Vioxx from the market after a clinical study confirmed an increased risk of heart attack and stroke.

These risks had begun to appear approximately 18 months after the patients in the study started taking Vioxx, and data from the study showed that the Vioxx users were more than twice as likely to experience heart problems than the patients who were given another drug. As a result, doctors have been advised to take their patients off Vioxx, and the FDA has issued a public health advisory.

If you or a loved one is still using Vioxx, contact your physician immediately to discuss whether you should be taken off this drug.

If you or a loved one has suffered a heart attack or a stroke, or if a loved one has died while taking Vioxx, please contact our offices immediately.