In 1999, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Vioxx, a promising new prescription drug, for entrance onto the U.S. drug market. Although related to some familiar over-the-counter anti-inflammatory pain relievers, such as ibuprofen, Vioxx offered similar relief without causing ulcers, bleeding or other gastrointestinal problems.  However, on September ... More

While the majority of medical malpractice claims are associated with negligent surgical procedures, patients have brought successful medical malpractice claims based on non-surgical procedures, such as those resulting from dermatologic-related injuries.  In order to prevail on a medical malpractice claim, a patient injured by a negligently performed dermatological procedure must ... More

The drugs Vioxx, Bextra and Celebrex became available on the U.S. prescription drug market in the late 1990s as a breakthrough type of arthritis treatment and acute painkiller. Vioxx manufacturer Merck Co., Inc. and Pfizer, manufacturer of Bextra and Celebrex, were direct competitors in this particular class of NSAID COX-2 inhibitors.  In ... More

While the majority of medical malpractice claims are associated with negligent surgical procedures, patients have brought successful medical malpractice claims based on non-surgical procedures, such as those resulting from dermatologic-related injuries.  In order to prevail on a medical malpractice claim, a patient injured by a negligently performed dermatological procedure must ... More

It is estimated that over 80 million consumers worldwide had taken the prescription drug, Vioxx, before it was pulled from the market by its manufacturer, Merck Co., Inc. With Merck's annual sales from Vioxx peaking at approximately $2.5 billion in 2003, this marks the largest withdrawal of a drug from ... More

In April 2002, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Botox injections for cosmetic use. Manufactured by Allergan, Inc., Botox is a protein produced by the same bacterium as botulism, a food poison. Botox was first used to treat certain medical disorders. Botox is also used for cosmetic purposes; small ... More

In 1994, the antidepressant drug Serzone was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Also known as nefazodone HCl, Serzone was first introduced by Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. with the claimed benefit of reduced sexual side effects commonly associated with antidepressants. However, after 2000, Serzone began to face ... More

Brief Background on Vioxx and Related Health IssuesIn 1999, FDA-approved Vioxx was launched into the U.S. prescription drug market as a beneficial and innovative new anti-inflammatory and pain killing drug. On September 30, 2004, Vioxx manufacturer, Merck, voluntarily pulled the drug from the market. Merck cited newly discovered risks of ... More

After the drug Vioxx, an anti-inflammatory and pain reliever, was voluntarily pulled from the world market in late September 2004, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has been scrutinized for its handling of the drug. Critics argue that the FDA was too lax in monitoring Vioxx despite mounting ... More

It is estimated that over 80 million consumers worldwide had taken the prescription drug, Vioxx, before it was pulled from the market by its manufacturer, Merck Co., Inc. With Merck's annual sales from Vioxx peaking at approximately $2.5 billion in 2003, this marks the largest withdrawal of a drug from ... More