Vioxx Pulled from Market
Merck & Co. said that it is withdrawing its painkiller rofecoxib (Vioxx®), a flagship brand, which generated $2.5 bil lion in worldwide sales last year, because of data showing an increased risk of heart attack and stroke. The company’s shares fell 17%.
The decision to pull the drug from markets worldwide was based on a three-year study aimed at showing that a 25-mg dose could prevent polyps of the colon and rectum. The trial was stopped after Merck discovered a higher risk of cardiac complications after 18 months.
Vioxx® and Pfizer’s generic celecoxib (Celebrex drug) were the first of a new class of medications designed to be gentler on the stomach than the older painkillers. Health insurers had said in August that they were considering discouraging the use of Vioxx® because of concerns about the heart risk.
