Bextra recall is no gain for Celebrex

While it was good news for Pfizer that the FDA did not ban Celebrex along with forcing a recall of Bextra, but it seems that Americans do not trust Celebrex any more. According to Vector One, a research firm that tracks prescriptions, most of the patients who were on Bextra are switching to traditional, generic NSAID. At second place is Mobic. Celebrex comes at third place. (Related article: Americans abandon Vioxx, Celebrex, and Bextra)

And it is unlikely that the controversy over Celebrex will die soon. There are numerous calls from all sides to recall Celebrex as well. Parker & Waichman, a law firm actively pursuing Vioxx and Bextra litigation is joining Public Citizen and arguing that "...the failure to remove Celebrex from the market puts millions of people at an unnecessary risk." (Related article: Celebrex recall demanded)

An unpublished study finished in 2000 indicated increased cardiac risks associated with Celebrex. A more recent study sponsored by the National Cancer Institute discovered that Celebrex's risk of causing a major cardiovascular event was two-and-a-half times greater than that for people taking a placebo. In 2004, almost twice as many prescriptions were written for Celebrex as for Bextra -- 23.9 million prescriptions compared to 12.9 million.

In the meantime, Bextra attorneys representing patients are accusing Pfizer of ignoring drug safety. Woody Wilner, a Bextra attorney representing Mary Ellen Mule (who suffered a stroke after taking Bextra), is quoted as saying, "Instead of following scientific evidence, you (Pfizer) followed your desire to maximize profits of your company."

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