Breaking News: Widow Awarded $253 Million in Nation's First Vioxx Trial Angleton, Texas - A jury decided against Merck & Co. on Friday, ruling for the plaintiff in the United State's first Vioxx trial. Full Article...

What is Vioxx?

In the past few years, a new generation of Arthritis drugs were released. The drugs, known as COX 2 inhibitors, Vioxx (rofecoxib) and Celebrex (celecoxib) were released claiming that they offered superior arthiritis pain relief without the side effects commonly associated with older pain medications.

Traditionally, arthritis pain had been treated with Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). These drugs effectively relieved arthritis pain but side effects of these drugs are thought to cause about 100,000 hospitalizations and between 10,000 and 15,000 deaths a year in the United States. The most severe side effect associated with NSAIDs is severe gastrointestinal (GI) problems,and while Cox 2 medications Vioxx and Celebrex seem to cause less GI problems, they are being blamed for causing blood clots, hearts attacks and strokes.

COX 2 inhibitors Vioxx, Bextra and Celebrex, work by inhibiting the COX-2 enzyme that triggers pain and inflammation. However COX 2 inhibitors spare a related enzyme (COX-1) that helps maintain the normal stomach lining. In general, certain NSAIDs, such as ibuprofen, block both enzymes which causes gastrointestinal side effects such as ulcers.

Vioxx was approved by the FDA in 1999 for the treatment of osteoarthritis, the management of acute pain in adults, and the treatment of primary dysmenorrhea (moderate to severe menstrual pain). Vioxx is contraindicated in patients with hyper-sensitivity to any component of Vioxx and in people who have had a severe allergic reaction to aspirin or other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).

If you believe that you have been injured by Vioxx you should click here for a free case assessment.

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