BMJ  2004;329:816 (9 October), doi:10.1136/bmj.329.7470.816-a

News

Merck withdraws arthritis drug worldwide

London

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

The pharmaceutical company Merck last week initiated a voluntary immediate worldwide withdrawal of its bestselling arthritis drug rofecoxib (Vioxx), because new research shows that it almost doubles the risk of myocardial infarction and stroke if taken for 18 months or more.

Rofecoxib, a cyclo-oxygenase-2 selective inhibitor, has been on the market since 1999 and is used by 2 million people in over 80 countries worldwide with 400 000 taking it in the United Kingdom. It is indicated for osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, and higher dose strengths are indicated for short term relief of acute pain (VioxxAcute).

The new study, called APPROVe (adenomatous polyp prevention on Vioxx), was a multicentre, randomised placebo controlled double blind trial to determine the effect of three years of treatment with rofecoxib on the recurrence of neoplastic polyps of the large bowel in patients with a history of colorectal adenoma.

The trial, which started in 2000, . . . [Full text of this article]

-->
CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?

Relevant Articles

FDA works with US health insurers to identify drug problems

Janice Hopkins Tanne
BMJ 2008 336: 913. [Extract] [Full Text]

Merck used ghostwriters and selective data in Vioxx publications, JAMA says

Janice Hopkins Tanne
BMJ 2008 336: 849. [Extract] [Full Text] [PDF]

94% of patients suing Merck over rofecoxib agree to company’s offer

Fred Charatan
BMJ 2008 336: 580-581. [Extract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Merck to pay $5bn in rofecoxib claims

Fred Charatan
BMJ 2007 335: 1011. [Extract] [Full Text] [PDF]

FDA chief resigns without warning

Janice Hopkins Tanne
BMJ 2005 331: 713. [Extract] [Full Text] [PDF]

FDA needs more sophisticated approach to drug safety

Bryan Christie
BMJ 2005 330: 1166. [Extract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Indian regulators are accused of laxity in not banning drugs

Ganapati Mudur
BMJ 2004 329: 878. [Extract] [Full Text]

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Ackerly, D. C., Valverde, A. M., Diener, L. W., Dossary, K. L., Schulman, K. A. (2009). Fueling Innovation In Medical Devices (And Beyond): Venture Capital In Health Care. Health Aff (Millwood) 28: w68-w75 [Abstract] [Full text]  
• Robben, J. H., Knoers, N. V. A. M., Deen, P. M. T. (2006). Cell biological aspects of the vasopressin type-2 receptor and aquaporin 2 water channel in nephrogenic diabetes insipidus.. Am. J. Physiol. Renal Physiol. 291: F257-F270 [Abstract] [Full text]  
• Jain, A., Atreja, A., Harris, C. M., Lehmann, M., Burns, J., Young, J. (2005). Responding to the Rofecoxib Withdrawal Crisis: A New Model for Notifying Patients at Risk and Their Health Care Providers. ANN INTERN MED 142: 182-186 [Abstract] [Full text]  

Rapid Responses:

Read all Rapid Responses

VIOXX AND OTHER COX2 DRUGS

CELIO LEVYMAN,MD,MSc
bmj.com, 9 Oct 2004 [Full text]

comparing effect of consumer laws on the pharmaceuticl and tobacco industries

Desmond A . Gale
bmj.com, 8 Oct 2004 [Full text]

Rofecoxib in acute injury

Peter Leman, et al.
bmj.com, 8 Oct 2004 [Full text]

Why use rofecoxib for acute injury?

Jeffrey Mann
bmj.com, 8 Oct 2004 [Full text]

COX 2 DRUGS RISKS

CELIO LEVYMANMD,MSc
bmj.com, 9 Oct 2004 [Full text]

Primacy of the patients' interests in randomised trials

Tony Stevens, et al.
bmj.com, 12 Oct 2004 [Full text]

The rofecoxib scandal

Pontus Harten, et al.
bmj.com, 14 Oct 2004 [Full text]

most embarrasing...

manan vasenwala
bmj.com, 15 Oct 2004 [Full text]

Rofecoxib withdrawal: when the river sounds, stones are coming.

Juan Carlos Maldonado
bmj.com, 16 Oct 2004 [Full text]

Online poll

Find out more >>