Bextra Withdrawal

On April 7, 2005, Pfizer withdrew Bextra from the U.S. market on recommendation by the FDA, citing an increased risk of heart attack and stroke and also the risk of a serious, sometimes fatal, skin reaction. Bextra is a "COX-2" selective non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug and safety concerns of an increased risk of rare but serious skin reactions in patients taking Bextra. This was a result of recent attention to prescription NSAIDs, such as Merck's Vioxx. Other reported side-effects were angina and Stevens-Johnson syndrome.