On April 7, 2005, more than six months after Bextra (valdecoxib) came under public scrutiny for reported links to heart attacks and strokes, the FDA finally pressured Pfizer to issue a recall of Bextra. The agency still has not removed Celebrex from the market, but announced today that Celebrex will carry the strongest available warning for side effects.

The FDA called the overall "risk versus benefit" analysis to be unfavorable for Bextra. Clinical studies have indicated that Bextra more than doubles the risk of heart attack and stroke.

Our law firm has compiled important news on the Bextra recall. We encourage you to visit the Bextra News page for the most current information about the recall.

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Reports Indicate Bextra More Than Doubles the Risk of Heart Attack and Stroke in Clinical Studies

On January 17, 2005, the American Heart Association published results of a study that found some Pfizer patients were at a threefold risk of suffering a heart attack or stroke. The warning brought further attention to Bextra and the entire class of Cox-2 drugs whose safety has been called into question following the Vioxx recall.

Bextra is a COX-2 inhibitor prescribed to treat those suffering from osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and menstrual cramping. The drug is manufactured by Pfizer, Inc.

The report from the American Heart Association corroborated a study reported on November 10, 2004 in the New York Times. That safety study established a linked between Bextra and serious cardiovascular side effects, including heart attack and stroke.

The release of these studies comes on the heels of the Vioxx recall. Vioxx is another arthritis drug in the same family of medications as Bextra. Medical experts speculate that the problems associated with Vioxx likely affect other Cox-2 inhibitors, including Bextra. Doctors are warning physicians to reevaluate use of Bextra and the other Cox-2 drugs. O'Steen & Harrison also is representing people injured by Vioxx and Celebrex.

The study reported in the New York Times linked Bextra with increased incidences of heart attack and stroke after analyzing data from 5,930 patients participating in 12 separate clinical trials.

Garret Fitzgerald, a cardiologist at the University of Pennsylvania, briefed the American Heart Association on the dangers of Bextra. Dr. Fitzgerald speculated that Bextra may be even more dangerous than Vioxx, a competing drug.

Patients taking Bextra reportedly suffered 2.19 times more heart attacks and strokes than those patients who were given a placebo. Speaking before Congress, Dr. Graham of the FDA testified that he was concerned with the safety warnings regarding Bextra and was unsure the FDA was in a position to protect Americans against the dangerous Bextra side effects.

For free answers to your questions about the Bextra lawsuit and reports of heart attack and stroke, just call us toll-free or submit this online contact form.

Bextra has been associated with other serious side effects, including a potentially fatal skin disease named Stevens Johnson Syndrome. Symptoms of this fatal disease include:

Bextra users suffering from any of the above symptoms should immediately contact a physician.

If you or a loved one has used Bextra, promptly consult your doctor for an evaluation. As a result of the recall, Pfizer is advising patients to stop taking Bextra and discuss alternative treatment options with their physicians.

If you have been injured by Bextra, you may be entitled to compensation. You should act immediately to contact a lawyer experienced in matters involving dangerous drugs.

For more information about the Bextra lawsuit, please call us toll-free at 1-800-883-8888 or complete this online contact form.