Extract
On September 30, 2004, Merck & Co. (Whitehouse Station, New Jersey)
withdrew its blockbuster drug rofecoxib from the worldwide market. After just
five years on the market, the annual sales of rofecoxib (Vioxx) had grown to
$2.5 billion. Rofecoxib and celecoxib (Celebrex; Pfizer, New York, NY) belong
to a relatively new class of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs that were
designed to selectively inhibit the COX-2 (cyclooxygenase-2) enzyme and thus
reduce gastrointestinal side effects. While the coxibs have been proven to be
effective for reducing arthritis symptoms, their safety has been
controversial. This review updates orthopaedic surgeons on the present status
of the coxib controversy.