VIOXX

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From Dr. n Whitaker's January 2001 issue of Health & Healing:

" In a meta-analysis of eight trials comparing Vioxx to conventional

NSAIDS, the new drug reduced the risk of GI bleeding by less than one

percent over a 12 month period. For indigestion, the difference between

Vioxx and conventional NSAIDS was only two percent. And, while a study

of 688 patients with rheumatoid arthritis found that Celebrex produced

significantly fewer endoscopically identified ulcers, these small

lesions usually do not produce symptoms or lead to more serious ulcers.

To date, not one study has demonstrated that Celebrex significantly

reduces the risk of serious gastrointestinal complications.

In fact, both Celebrex and Vioxx require the same label warning about

the possibility of sudden bleeding, ulceration, and preforation of the

stomach and intestine than conventional NSAIDS do. Like conventional

NSAIDS, they can impair kidney and liver function and interact adversely

with alcohol, blood thinners such as wayfarin (Coumadin), steroids,

diuretics, lithium, methotrexate and fluconazole. There is, however,

one real difference between the two and that is price. Celebrex and

Vioxx cost patients about $2.40 per pill, whereas ibuprofen costs as

little as $4.00 per 100-count bottle. "