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Celebrex Caused Increase Heart Problem Risk

Celebrex has been found to cause increased risk of heart problems, according to an announcement on December 17, 2004, by Pfizer, maker of the painkiller. Often used by senior citizens with arthritis, Celebrex is in the same class as Vioxx, the drug yanked off the market in September because of similar concerns.

On September 30, the day Vioxx was recalled, Pfizer said over 27 million people were taking Celebrex and it had been found safe.

Pfizer also makes Bextra, another of the pain-relief drugs classified as Cox-2 inhibitors, which the Food and Drug Administration identified earlier as having the potential to cause heart problems in those who had recently undergone heart bypass surgery. The company was ordered to add the warning to the drug’s label.

Read Statement by Pfizer on Celebrex and Bextra - Click Here

FDA Urges Caution Using Cox-2 Inhibitors, Other Anti-Inflammatory Drugs

New advisory issued as the increase investigation; advice for physicians and patients issued

Dec. 23, 2004 - The Food and Drug Administration today issued a Public Health Advisory summarizing the agency's recent cautions and recommendations concerning the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug products (NSAIDs), including those known as COX-2 selective agents. The public health advisory is an interim measure, pending further review of data that continue to be collected. More... 12/23/04

FDA Delays Action on Celebrex, Waiting for More Info

Dec. 18, 2004 – Late yesterday the Food and Drug Administration issued a statement on the warning issued by Pfizer of possible heart problems caused by their drug Celebrex, which is taken my millions of senior citizens for pain relief, primarily that caused by arthritis. The FDA says they are taking no regulatory action now but will seek more information. More... 12/18/04*

NIH Halts Use of COX-2 Inhibitor in Large Cancer Prevention Trial

Dec. 18, 2004 - The National Institutes of Health (NIH) announced Friday that it has suspended the use of COX-2 inhibitor celecoxib (Celebrex™ Pfizer, Inc.) for all participants in a large colorectal cancer prevention clinical trial conducted by the National Cancer Institute (NCI). More... 12/18/04*

Pfizer Claims Celebrex Safety in September: Day Vioxx Recalled

Dec. 17, 2004 – On September 30, the day Merck & Co. announced the recall of its COX-2 drug, Vioxx, Pfizer issued a news release expressing confidence that Celebrex did not cause heart problems, as found in the case of Vioxx. More...