​Merck settles class-action case over Vioxx for $830M
Lawsuit involved shareholders; drugmaker pulled Vioxx from the market years ago over safety concerns (Source: Health News: CBSNews.com)
Source: Health News: CBSNews.com - January 15, 2016 Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news

Merck agrees to pay $830 million to settle Vioxx investor claims
Merck (NYSE: MRK), which operates a facility in north Durham, disclosed Friday it would pay $830 million plus attorneys’ fees to settle investor claims relating to how the company characterized Vioxx. The settlement applies to investors who bought shares between May 21, 1999, and Oct. 29, 2004. Merck had withdrawn Vioxx after studies showed an increased risk of heart attacks, but investors claimed the company did not adequately warn them of the risks associated with the drug. As part of the… (Source: bizjournals.com Health Care:Biotechnology headlines)
Source: bizjournals.com Health Care:Biotechnology headlines - January 15, 2016 Category: Biotechnology Authors: Jason deBruyn Source Type: news

Merck Resolves Previously Disclosed Securities Class Action Lawsuit Related to Vioxx
Dateline City: KENILWORTH, N.J. KENILWORTH, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Merck (NYSE:MRK), known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, today announced that it has reached an agreement with plaintiffs to resolve In re Merck & Co., Inc. Securities Litigation, a multi-district class action lawsuit pending in New Jersey federal court. The settlement class consists of persons who purchased Merck securities during the period from May 21, 1999, through Oct. Language: English ...
Source: Merck.com - Corporate News - January 15, 2016 Category: Pharmaceuticals Tags: Corporate News Latest News #Merck #MRK $MRK NYSE:MRK Source Type: news

FDA strengthens warning that NSAIDs increase heart attack and stroke risk
Back in 2005, the FDA warned that taking nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen and naproxen increased the risk of having a heart attack or stroke. Last week it took the unusual step of further strengthening this warning. This was done on the advice of an expert panel that reviewed new information about NSAIDs and their risks. Because NSAIDs are widely used, it’s important to be aware of downsides of taking an NSAID and to take steps to limit the risk. Many people take NSAIDs to relieve mild to moderate pain. These medications may be particularly effective in conditions in which pain results pri...
Source: New Harvard Health Information - July 13, 2015 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Gregory Curfman, MD Tags: Heart Health heart attack heart disease NSAIDS Stroke Source Type: news

Novartis' Game Changer: When Failure Turns To Success
Here's what two frequent skeptics have to say about the results of Novartis' new heart failure drug that were presented over the weekend. Stephen Nissen, chair of cardiology at the Cleveland Clinic and probably best known for highlighting safety problems with Merck's painkiller Vioxx, calls it "the first new heart failure drug in decades." Sanjay Kaul of Cedars-Sinai Health System, a stickler for procedure and nuance in the design of clinical trials, says that unless there are problems that only the Food and Drug Administration can uncover, it's "a major win." (Source: Forbes.com Healthcare News)
Source: Forbes.com Healthcare News - September 2, 2014 Category: Pharmaceuticals Authors: Matthew Herper Source Type: news

Boxed Warnings Common Among Newly Approved Drugs (FREE)
By Kelly Young Edited by Susan Sadoughi, MD, and André Sofair, MD, MPH The number of boxed warnings and withdrawals of new drugs increased after Vioxx (rofecoxib) was pulled off the market in 2004, according to a … (Source: Physician's First Watch current issue)
Source: Physician's First Watch current issue - August 18, 2014 Category: Primary Care Source Type: news

Vioxx Maker Settles False Advertising Suit
NEW ORLEANS (MedPage Today) -- Almost a decade after the maker of rofecoxib (Vioxx) pulled the once-blockbuster pain killer from the market, the company settled a class action suit charging it with overselling the benefits of the Cox-2 inhibitor. (Source: MedPage Today Public Health)
Source: MedPage Today Public Health - September 13, 2013 Category: American Health Source Type: news

Possible Fix Found For Arthritis Drug Side Effects
The drug rofecoxib (Vioxx), an anti-inflammatory drug used for arthritis, was previously taken off the US market because of serious cardiovascular side effects. However, new research has found that the class of drugs known as COX-2 inhibitors may yet be made safer. COX-2 inhibitors are used to reduce arthritis pain... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)
Source: Health News from Medical News Today - July 6, 2013 Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Arthritis / Rheumatology Source Type: news

High-dose painkiller heart risk: small but significant
Conclusion This large review adds to, and expands on, the current evidence on the risks of vascular disease and gastrointestinal complications for different NSAIDs. It largely concentrates on trials of high doses of NSAIDs that can only be prescribed by a doctor. It is unclear from this study whether there is any risk from taking lower doses available over the counter. While most experts advise that low-dose NSAIDs, taken occasionally, are safe for most people, an accompanying editorial points out that there are still “large gaps” in evidence on the risks with lower doses of NSAIDs. While the risk to individuals is sma...
Source: NHS News Feed - May 30, 2013 Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Medication Heart/lungs Source Type: news

High doses of common painkillers increase heart attack risks
LONDON (Reuters) - Long-term high-dose use of painkillers such as ibuprofen or diclofenac is "equally hazardous" in terms of heart attack risk as use of the drug Vioxx, which was withdrawn due to its potential dangers, researchers said on Thursday. (Source: Reuters: Health)
Source: Reuters: Health - May 29, 2013 Category: Consumer Health News Tags: healthNews Source Type: news

Merck to Pay Pennsylvania $8.5 Million in Vioxx Case
From Philadelphia Inquirer (PA) (February 24, 2013) Feb. 24--Merck & Co. Inc., will pay $8.5 million to settle allegations by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania that the drugmaker inappropriately marketed its controversial painkiller Vioxx,... (Source: Drugs.com - Pharma News)
Source: Drugs.com - Pharma News - February 25, 2013 Category: Pharmaceuticals Source Type: news

Vioxx and Diclofenac: Why Are Two Heart Risky Pain Drugs Viewed Differently?
More than a decade ago, Merck launched Vioxx (rofecoxib),  one of the first of a new class of pain relievers known as COX-2 inhibitors. These compounds, by virtue of their mode of action, were deemed to be as potent arthritis pain relievers as traditional non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen and naproxen, but were believed to be safer than NSAIDs since they caused less gastrointestinal distress.  Vioxx was an immediate success with physicians and patients. New prescriptions for Vioxx soared. (Source: Forbes.com Healthcare News)
Source: Forbes.com Healthcare News - February 19, 2013 Category: Pharmaceuticals Authors: John LaMattina Source Type: news

NSAIDs and cardiovascular risk: An examination of sales and Essential Medicines Lists in low-, middle-, and high-income countries
Source: PLoS Medicine Area: News It is known that certain non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) increase the risk of myocardial infarction and stroke and should be avoided in patients at high risk of cardiovascular events. A study, published in PLoS medicine, investigated the extent to which evidence on cardiovascular risk with NSAIDs has translated into guidance and sales in 15 countries.   The authors identified that three drugs (rofecoxib, diclofenac, and etoricoxib) ranked consistently highest in terms of cardiovascular risk compared with nonuse and naproxen was associated with a low risk. Diclofenac...
Source: NeLM - Cardiovascular Medicine - February 15, 2013 Category: Cardiology Source Type: news

Diclofenac and CVD risksDiclofenac and CVD risks
Diclofenac, which is listed on the essential-medicine lists of 74 countries, increased the risk of cardiovascular events between 38% and 63% in different studies. The increased risk with diclofenac was similar to the COX-2 inhibitor rofecoxib, a drug withdrawn from worldwide markets because of cardiovascular toxicity. Heartwire (Source: Medscape Cardiology Headlines)
Source: Medscape Cardiology Headlines - February 13, 2013 Category: Cardiology Tags: Cardiology News Source Type: news

Widely used diclofenac associated with increased risk of cardiovascular events
Diclofenac, which is listed on the essential-medicine lists of 74 countries, increased the risk of cardiovascular events between 38% and 63% in different studies. The increased risk with diclofenac was similar to the COX-2 inhibitor rofecoxib, a drug withdrawn from worldwide markets because of cardiovascular toxicity. (Source: theHeart.org)
Source: theHeart.org - February 13, 2013 Category: Cardiology Source Type: news