Celebrex: As Bad As Vioxx?
This question is the one I expect to hear in my office tomorrow. It's not that I write prescriptions for Celebrex any more than I did for Vioxx, but many of my patients have been treated with one of them. At first glance it seems to be an easy situation to deal with; stop the Celebrex.
In fact, it is far more complex.
Here's why. Many people have terrible pain. Mine isn't so bad, so I stopped taking Vioxx. But if pain is really bad and limits someone's ability to function, it becomes complex. Is the risk worth it? That is the key question and the question that the FDA seems most interested in helping doctors answer.
I say this because I have heard employess of the FDA say publically that a drug that improves quality of life but increases the risk of death may still be a reasonable drug to permit onto the market.
The information to quantify the benefits and risks is necessary and we are starting now to understand the risks of Celebrex or Vioxx.
I don't believe that Celebrex should be withdrawn from the market, but I do think it should become a niche drug, perhaps one that has a specific safety program associated with it. A patient could be given standard literature stating the risks and benefits prior to signing a consent form.
On the other hand, I suppose the lawyers wouldn't like that suggestion; it would prevent them from suing.
<< Home