CELEBREX

Celebrex, manufactured by Pfizer, Inc., is the most widely prescribed prescription arthritis pain medication in the United States. It is part of a class of pain medications known as "Cox-2 inhibitors,". On December, 17, 2004, Pfizer Inc. announced that a study of Celebrex showed that patients taking the drug daily had an approximately 2.5 fold increase in their risk of having a major cardiovascular event. This increase in risk is even larger than the 2 fold increase in Vioxx studies that prompted Merck & Co, Inc. to take Vioxx off the market!. The other two Cox-2 inhibitors are:

• Vioxx - Removed from the market on September 30, 2004 due to its link to heart attacks and strokes.
• Bextra - As of December, 2004, Bextra has a warning label that addresses potential heart problems associated with its use.