Bextra Alert - By Martinez, Manglardi, Diez-Arguelles & Tejedor, P.A.

Have you or someone you love taken the pain reliever Bextra and suffered harmful side effects? If so, you are not alone.

Despite the increased risk of heart attacks, strokes and deadly skin diseases, Bextra continues to be prescribed to millions of patients. Martinez, Manglardi, Diez-Arguelles & Tejedor, P.A. has been helping Florida personal injury victims since 1988 by successfully representing them in claims against drug manufacturers and insurance companies. Our team of professionals has won millions of dollars in favorable verdicts and settlements for our clients in cases involving dangerous drugs, personal injuries, wrongful death, motor vehicle crashes, product liability, medical malpractice, nursing home abuse, insurance contract disputes and theme park negligence. If you or someone you know has been injured by Bextra, contact our lawyers today for a free consultation to discuss your rights.

Approved in the U.S. late in 2001, Bextra is prescribed to treat osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and other painful conditions. Vioxx, Celebrex and Bextra are all part of the family of COX-2 inhibitor drugs. These drugs were developed to provide pain relief as effectively as older, nonprescription drugs known as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDs. However, NSAIDs are known to cause gastric distress, while Bextra and other COX-2 inhibitor drugs provide the benefits associated with NSAIDs, without the stomach discomfort.

Even at the time of its approval, controversy surrounded Bextra. It is alleged that while the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) was aware of dangerous skin-related side effects that could happen with use of the drug, it was approved. (FDA Report) Stevens-Johnson Syndrome is a very serious skin condition, as is Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis. Both of these skin diseases are potential side effects of Bextra, but Pfizer is only now putting a black label warning regarding these conditions on the package. With Vioxx being pulled from the market in late 2004, there is renewed focus and studies of Bextra and other COX-2 inhibitors’ side-effects. Bextra is manufactured by Pfizer, the world’s largest drug maker. Pfizer has responded to suspicions about Bextra by claiming that there is no evidence to link the drug with increased risk of heart attacks or strokes. However, both Pfizer and the FDA will be conducting further studies of Bextra and other COX-2 inhibitors on the heart.

In 2004, more than 23.9 million prescriptions were filled in the United States for Celebrex and12.9 million for Bextra. Pfizer, the world's largest drug manufacturer makes both products and is obviously reluctant to pull the money-makers from the market. If you have suffered side effects from Bextra, don’t wait until Pfizer is forced to remove its product from the shelves to file a claim. You should immediately consult with an attorney who understands the drug, its risk and the validity of a negligence claim against Pfizer. contact Martinez, Manglardi, Diez-Arguelles & Tejedor, P.A. to find out how we can help you make informed decisions about your claim. We offer free consultations in your home, at the hospital or in our offices. There are no fees or costs unless we win. Call us today in Orlando at (407) 381-4123, or in Kissimmee, (407) 846-2240.

Recent Bextra and other COX-2 Inhibitor News

Pfizer Agrees to Suspend Sales of Bextra, FDA Says (April 7, 2005)
Pfizer Inc. agreed to suspend sales of its Bextra painkiller at the request of U.S. regulators, making it the second painkiller to be pulled because of a link to heart risks after Merck & Co.'s Vioxx.

FDA Panel Votes on Future of Pain Drugs (February 18, 2005)
An FDA advisory panel has decided to keep COX-2 inhibitors on the market despite acknowledged side-effects

Food and Drug Administration in Hearings on COX-2s (February 17, 2005)
The FDA is in hearings which includes evidence from drug makers and scientists in response to mounting concerns about Cox-2s including Pfizer’s Celebrex and Bextra. A scientist from the FDA's office of drug safety has been banned from presenting new information regarding the leading pain medication.