New research indicates Pfizer’s COX-2 inhibitor Celebrex may cause increased risk of heart attacks and strokes, leading to the halting of some clinical trials involving the drug. Dozens of other COX-2 inhibitor trials are undergoing careful review. The scenario is strikingly similar to what happened this fall to Merck’s COX-2 inhibitor Vioxx, which the Food and Drug Administration subsequently removed from the market.
Author: Jennifer Couzin