FDA Issues Public Health Advisory on Vioxx as its
Manufacturer Voluntarily Withdraws the Product
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today acknowledged the voluntary withdrawal
from the market of Vioxx (chemical name rofecoxib), a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) manufactured
by Merck & Co. FDA today also issued a Public Health Advisory to inform patients of this action and to advise them
to consult with a physician about alternative medications. Merck is withdrawing Vioxx from the market after the data
safety monitoring board overseeing a long-term study of the drug recommended that the study be halted because of
an increased risk of serious cardiovascular events, including heart attacks and strokes, among study patients taking
Vioxx compared to patients receiving placebo. The study was being done in patients at risk of developing recurrent
colon polyps. Read more...
