Pfizer's Attempt to Return Bextra to European Market Rejected
After removing the Cox-2 drug Bextra from the marketplace in April, Pfizer recently applied to the European Medicines Agency to return Bextra to the European market. The Agency denied the application, citing the drugs serious cardiovascular risks and adverse skin reactions. Pfizer has expressed its intent to return Bextra to the market, but absent a showing of the drugs benefits outweighing the risks, this is unlikely.
Read the EMEA's statement here.
Posted In BextraComments / Questions (0) | Permalink
Pfizer Flirts with Returning Bextra to the Market
Pfizer's CEO, Hank McKinnell, stated recently that Bextra will likely return to pharmacy shelves. He failed to mention when this may occur, and in reality it is doubtful whether it happens at all. Drugs returning to the market after being withdrawn are stigmatized and never reach sales equal to those before the withdrawal.
And for good reason. The increased risk of heart attack, stroke, and the potentially deadly skin disorder Steven Johnson's syndrome, are well documented. Even the FDA determined that the serious risks associated with Bextra clearly outweigh the benefits of taking the drug.
See related article at CNNMoney.
Posted In BextraComments / Questions (3) | Permalink
Vioxx, Celebrex and Bextra Come Together in Federal Court
The more lawsuits that are filed on behalf of those injured by Bextra and Celebrex, the more consolidation seems appropriate. A handful of attorneys in Louisiana are asking the JPML to place Bextra and Celebrex cases in with the Vioxx MDL. Learn about MDL's here. This makes sense considering that the drugs work the same way on the body, cause the same types of cardiovascular events, and present similar questions of fact. The unknown is how this will effect the MDL as a whole. Most likely, the benefits of consolidating these cases will be tempered, if not nulled, by the drag of additional cases in an already large MDL. (See Related Article, Nationwide Bextra and Celebrex Lawsuits Requested to be Consolidated and Transferred to Louisiana Federal Court)
Posted In Bextra , Celebrex , VioxxComments / Questions (0) | Permalink