Bextra (Valdecoxib) is a nonsteroidal anti-inflamatory drug used in the treatment of osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, painful menstruation and menstrual symptoms. It is classified as a Cox-2 inhibitor and was manufactured and marketed under the brand name Bextra by G. D. Searle & Company. It was approved by the FDA in November 2001.

In February 2005 following Merck’s withdrawal of Vioxx from the market, the FDA asked an advisory committee to examine similar Cox-2 inhibitors to determine whether the drugs offer enough benefits to stay on the market.

As a result of all the attention on Cox-2 inhibitors, during the advisory committee hearing, senior director of Merck Research Laboratories, Dr. Ned Braunstein, strongly suggested that the entire class of Cox-2 inhibitors elevated the chances of cardiovascular problems. Dr. Garret Fitzgerald, a Cox-2 inhibitors researcher at the University of Pennsylvania also told the panel that all pain drugs in the class known as Cox-2 inhibitors create an imbalance in the body’s cardiovascular system that leads to an increased risk of heart attacks and strokes. In April 2005, Pfizer withdrew Bextra from the U.S. market on recommendation by the FDA, citing an increased risk of heart attack and stroke and also the risk of a serious, sometimes fatal, skin reaction. Other reported side effects were angina and Stevens-Johnson Syndrome.

Pfizer and the FDA stated that the risk posed by Bextra outweighed its benefits. If you or someone you know has taken Bextra and has experienced any of these negative side effects, please contact Goggins & Associates so that we may assist you in winning your case.