Bextra and Celebrex, two popular painkillers linked to serious side effects including heart attacks, stroke and death, have recently been back in the news. On May 2nd, 2008 The Wall Street Journal reported that manufacturer Pfizer had reached settlements with three law firms representing more than 200 of the thousands who sued over the drugs. Over 3,000 patients have claimed that the drugs have caused heart attacks and strokes.

Firms have been offered $40,000 to $200,000 to resolve Bextra and Celebrex cases, The Journal reported, citing an unidentified lawyer.

Celebrex, in the same class of medicines as Merck's recalled Vioxx, is Pfizer's third-best-selling drug. The product, which is still on the market, generated $2.3 billion in sales in 2007, a 12 percent increase from the previous year.

The COX-2 inhibitor Bextra was pulled from the market by the FDA on April 7, 2005. Bextra has been linked to heart attacks, strokes and the sometimes-fatal skin disease Stevens Johnson Syndrome. Recent reports show that Bextra may be more likely to cause heart attacks and strokes than Vioxx. At the time of its recall, Bextra prescriptions were in the millions.

Stevens Johnson Syndrome is a very serious, sometimes fatal inflammatory disease, also known as erythema multiforme major. Symptoms of Stevens Johnson Syndrome include blistering, fever, cough, malaise, swelling, and lesions of the gums, tongue, or lips. Excessive tearing or "stickiness" of the eyes and sores in the genital tract causing painful urination can also occur.

Your time to collect compensatory and/or punitive damages for your serious injury may be short. If you, a family member or someone you know has been injured, contact us today for a free, private consultation.

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BEXTRA PULLED FROM THE MARKET ON APRIL 7, 2005

Breaking News: Following FDA urgings, Pfizer removed Bextra from the market on April 7, 2005. The FDA made their request based on high incidences of heart attacks, strokes and the potentially fatal skin condition known as Stevens-Johnson Syndrome.

The makers of Bextra, Pfizer Inc. is starting to settle cases where people developed heart attacks, strokes, blood clots, severe skin reactions or Stevens-Johnson Syndrome. Statutes regarding time may affect your ability to collect on your potential case, so please contact us now for a free, private consultation.

Bextra, which was launched by Pfizer in 2000, had sales last year of $687 million.

Bextra is a member of the COX-2 family of drugs that also includes Vioxx and Celebrex. When they were first released in the late 1990s, the COX-2 painkillers were marketed as miracle drugs for arthritis sufferers. More recently, however, the COX-2 drugs have been associated with heart attacks and strokes. Bextra has also been associated with severe skin reactions, Stevens-Johnson Syndrome, toxic epidermal necrolysis and erythema multiforme.

Bextra, the popular COX-2 inhibitor has been linked to heart attack, stroke, and Stevens-Johnson Syndrome. Recent reports show that Bextra may be more likely to cause heart attack and stroke than Vioxx. Pfizer has recentley said they will most likely add a black box warning to Bextra about Stevens-Johnson Syndrome.

Symptoms of Stevens-Johnson Syndrome are blistering, fever, cough, malaise, swelling, and lesions of gums, tongue, or lips, excessive tearing or "stickiness" of eyes and sores in the genital tract causing painful urination.

As of November 2004, the FDA has recieved 87 reports of that condition and other skin reactions. Thirty-six of the patients were hospitalized and four died, the FDA stated.

At the time of its recall, Bextra sales had reached the millions.

Traditionally, the number of reported injuries to the FDA were only 1% of actual incidences. So that number could be staggeringly high considering how long Bextra has been on the market.

Bextra (valdecoxib) Side Effects
		Anaphylaxis
		Angioedema
		Serious Skin Reactions including Erythema Multiforme, Exfoliative Dermatitis, Stevens-Johnson Syndrome and Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis

At the time of approval, the FDA acknowledged at least twenty cases of Bextra side effects that resulted in serious skin problems.

Stevens-Johnson Syndrome
Stevens-Johnson Syndrome is the most severe form of erythema multiforme and is characterized by ulcerated lesions on the skin and mucous membranes. It is a serious, sometimes fatal inflammatory disease. It is also known as erythema multiforme major.

Stevens-Johnson Syndrome Symptoms
Typically, Stevens-Johnson Syndrome affects the mucous membranes of the oral cavity, nostril, eyes, and both the anal and genital regions. It may or may not be associated with skin lesions elsewhere on the body. Oropharyngeal (mouth) lesions may be so intolerable as to prevent eating, and there may be recurring oral ulcers. Often, the skin lesions may look like a target-lesion (3 concentric zones of color change) or as bullae (bubble-like).

Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis
Toxic epidermal necrolysis is a life-threatening skin disorder characterized by a blistering and peeling of the top layer of skin. This disorder can be caused by a drug reaction -- most often penicillin -- or another disease. About one-third of all diagnosed cases of toxic epidermal necrolysis are a result of unknown causes.

Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis Symptoms
Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis can cause the skin to peel off in sheets, leaving large areas that look scalded. The loss of skin causes fluids and salts to ooze from the raw, damaged areas, which can cause infections easily.

If you have taken Bextra and have suffered any of these problems, contact us today!

Your time may be short to collect compensatory or punitive damages for your serious injuries. If you, your family or someone you know has been injured, email us now for a free, private consultation. Knowledge is power - we'd like to help you!

Contact us today at Info@HelpingTheInjured.com