A: Bextra is a COX-2 selective nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). Bextra was available via prescription and was intended to relieve symptoms of osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis in adults and to relieve painful menstrual cycles
Q: What is the most important information I should know about
Bextra?
A: On April 7, 2005, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
announced that it has asked Pfizer, Inc. to voluntarily withdraw Bextra
(valdecoxib) from the U.S. market. Pfizer agreed to suspend sales and
marketing of Bextra in the U.S., pending further discussions with the
FDA.
Q: What should I do if I'm taking Bextra?
A: Contact your physician to discuss discontinuing use and
alternative treatments. Any decision about which drug product to take to
treat your symptoms should be made in consultation with your physician
based on an assessment of your specific treatment needs.
Q: Why did the FDA request that Pfizer voluntarily withdraw Bextra
from the market?
A: The FDA concluded that the overall risk versus benefit profile
of Bextra is unfavorable. You can read more about the reasons behind the
FDA's actions
here.
Q: If I have rheumatoid arthritis, what pain medication should I
now be taking?
A: You should consult your doctor to discuss the best course of
action.
Q: What should I tell the doctor if I suspect I have arthritis?
A: The following include some of the things you should tell your
doctor: where you have pain or stiffness; when you have pain or
stiffness; what the pain feels like (sharp/stabbing, dull/aching); how
long the pain lasts; how long you have had the pain; what tasks you find
difficult to do now; if you ever injured your joints or overused them in
a job or a hobby; if anyone in your family had problems similar to
yours; if you exercise, what kind of exercise you do and how often you
do it.
Q: What questions should I ask before leaving the doctor's office
for treatment of arthritis?
A: What can I do to help relieve my pain and live more
comfortably? What are the advantages and disadvantages of my various
treatment options? When might I expect to start feeling better? What can
I expect over the coming months/years? Under what circumstances should I
call your office?
Q: What should I do if I think I have been injured as a result of
taking Bextra?
A: If you have experienced unusual side effects after taking
Bextra, you should consult your physician immediately. Thereafter, you
might want to contact an attorney experienced in product liability
litigation to discuss potential legal claims you might have to recover
for injuries Bextra caused you.
Q: How could I succeed in suing the manufacturer of a drug like
Bextra?
A: While all medications have certain, anticipated side effects,
a drug manufacturer has a duty to make its pharmaceutical products as
reasonably safe as possible, and to inform the medical community and the
public of known risks associated with its drugs. If a manufacturer fails
to do so, it can be held responsible to patients who are injured as the
result of inadequate warnings or the unreasonably dangerous nature of
the drug, under a legal theory called "product liability."
This includes material from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration
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