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A Celebrex alternative may be sought by consumers for a number of reasons. Many people may seek a Celebrex alternative because of the threat of serious side effects associated with Celebrex use. Celebrex is a COX-2 non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) that is used to treat a number of chronic pain conditions such as arthritis and menstrual cramps. A Celebrex alternative may be another COX-2 NSAID or a traditional NSAID, or another method of treatment entirely.

It may be difficult to find a COX-2 Celebrex alternative that is safe and available for use in the United States. Vioxx, a COX-2 Celebrex alternative, was pulled from the market in September 2004 after clinical trials found that taking this drug doubles a patient’s risk of suffering a heart attack or stroke. After the Vioxx recall, Pfizer, the makers of Celebrex, claimed that a Celebrex alternative was a great option for Vioxx users because Celebrex did not pose the same cardiovascular risks.

By the end of 2004 studies discovered that both Bextra and Celebrex (both Pfizer manufactured) also increased a patient’s risk of suffering an adverse cardiovascular event. Bextra clinical trials found that heart surgery patients were two times more likely to suffer a heart attack or stroke if they took Bextra for post-surgical pain management. Celebrex clinical trials found that patients taking 400 milligrams of Celebrex were 2.5 times more likely to suffer a stroke or heart attack. Those taking 800 milligrams were 3.4 times more likely to suffer a major cardiovascular injury.

Despite these clinical findings, Pfizer still held that Celebrex and Bextra were safe for use and a good alternative to Vioxx. The FDA warned patients about these potential cardiovascular side effects of all COX-2 drugs and announced that the agency would be investigating these risks further. In the meantime, the FDA urged doctors and other medical professionals to reduce their Celebrex prescription sales and look for a Celebrex alternative for patients under their care. In addition to requesting that doctors look for a safer Celebrex alternative, the FDA also took a number of other actions.

In January 2005, the FDA ordered Pfizer to pull all ads for Celebrex from mass media marketing sources. The FDA stated that Pfizer overstated the benefits and underestimated the risks associated with Celebrex use. The National Institutes of Health ordered the review of over forty agency sponsored Celebrex studies to determine the extent of cardiovascular risks. Within two weeks of the Celebrex cardiovascular risk announcement, new prescription sales of the drug decreased by 56 percent, as doctors and consumers scrambled to find a safe Celebrex alternative.

In April 2005 the FDA ordered Pfizer to recall Bextra and significantly strengthen the warning on all Celebrex product information. The safety of all COX-2 drugs, and even some traditional NSAIDs is still questionable, and therefore these may not be appropriate Celebrex alternative medications. If you are interested in finding a safe Celebrex alternative, you should speak with your doctor.

If you have been injured by Celebrex or a Celebrex alternative, you may wish to explore your legal rights and options.

"Celebrex safety concerns reaps benefits for alternative painkillers"

After COX-2 painkillers – Vioxx, Celebrex and Bextra- came under scrutiny when cardiovascular risks were associated to the drugs some drugmakers saw this as an opportunity to try to capitalize on the events.

Vioxx went off the market in Se...

» Read More

"Is pharmaceutical advertising too aggressive?"

Merck & Co. and Pfizer Inc. have been criticized for their aggressive marketing campaigns for its COX-2 drugs, putting scrutiny on pharmaceutical advertising as a whole. Between December 2003 and November 2004, pharmaceutical ad spending increased 30...

» Read More

"COX-2 safety questions far from answered"

A three-day FDA Advisory Committee meeting has wrapped, but the COX-2 drugs controversy is still not resolved. Although the panel of government medical experts advised keeping the drugs, including Pfizer Inc.’s Celebrex and Bextra, on the market, new...

» Read More

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