Re: NEWS - Merck voluntarily withdraws Vioxx fromthe market

September 30, 2004

I too was affected by Vioxx. My blood pressure went through the roof. It took

me weeks to convince the doctor that vioxx was the problem, no one believed me.

I had read about vioxx right here and that was how I became suspicious of it.

I'm with you a.

Lynn (MeMom)

a54 wrote:

> HORAY!!!!!!!! As one affected by the Vioxx, I'm happy to hear this. My BP

> jumped considerably on Vioxx and returned to normal when I went off of it.

> a

>

> > September 30, 2004

> >

> > NEW YORK (Reuters) - Merck & Co. (MRK.N: Quote, Profile, Research) said

> > on Thursday withdrew its arthritis drug Vioxx globally after a colon

> > cancer trial confirmed long-standing concerns the drug raises the risk

> > of heart attack and stroke.

> >

> > Merck's shares plunged in pre-market trading after the announcement.

> >

> > A recent study by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration suggested

> > patients taking Vioxx faced a 50 percent greater risk of heart attacks

> > and sudden cardiac death than those taking Pfizer Inc.'s (PFE.N: Quote,

> > Profile, Research) rival Celebrex treatment.

> >

> > Vioxx had sales last year of $2.55 billion. They have been flat in

> > recent years amid ongoing safety concerns.

> >

> > Merck said it is withdrawing the drug following data from a new

> > three-year trial of Vioxx, designed to evaluate the effectiveness of the

> > drug's standard 25 milligram dose in preventing recurrence of colorectal

> > polyps. Such polyps often become cancerous.

> >

> > " In this study, there was an increased relative risk for confirmed

> > cardiovascular events, such as heart attack and stroke, beginning after

> > 18 months of treatment in the patients taking Vioxx compared to those

> > taking placebo, " Merck said in a release.

> >

> > " It's a major blow for Merck, " said Sena Lund, an analyst at Cathay

> > Financial. " It was one of their five key drivers for future growth. "

> >

> > Merck had expected Vioxx to help restore the company's earnings growth

> > when the drug was launched in 1999, but its sales have been hurt by

> > clinical trial data showing it increased the incidence of blood clots

> > tied to strokes and heart attacks.

> >

> > Meanwhile, sales of Pfizer Inc.'s similar drugs, Celebrex and Bextra,

> > have steadily grown as doctors have turned to those drugs, which have

> > not been linked to heart attack and stroke.

> >

> > © Reuters 2004. .

> >

> > http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=businessNews & storyID=6377485

> >

> > I'll tell you where to go!

> >

> > Mayo Clinic in Rochester

> > http://www.mayoclinic.org/rochester

> >

> > s Hopkins Medicine

> > http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org

> >

September 30, 2004