Bextra Withdrawal Could Be Just the Beginning for Pfizer
The pharmaceutical industry is a tremendously profitable one, as anyone who reads the business pages of their newspaper can see. Although it can take years to develop a new drug and bring it to market, the profits obtained from a breakthrough drug can be staggering. Last year Merck sold about $2.5 billion worth of Vioxx, and Pfizer sold about $1.3 billion worth of Bextra. The profits are huge, but so are the losses if a problem should develop with a pharmaceutical product. Pfizer voluntarily withdrew the popular anti-inflammatory drug Bextra from the market last month, and their stock has suffered from both the loss of sales and the potential for a large number of product liability lawsuits. Pfizer may have to endure a double whammy this year as the FDA announced that they are investigating reports that the impotence drug Viagra may be linked to cases of blindness in male users. Cialis and Levitra were also mentioned in the report, although most of the cases involved the use of Viagra.
The FDA reports shouldn't cause alarm; the agency says that it is investigating fewer than 50 incidents of blindness in patients who use a drug that has been used by more than twenty million people since its introduction seven years ago. The FDA investigation says less about the likelihood of blindness in patients than it does about the agency's own concerns about its reputation. The FDA rightly insists upon rigorous testing of drugs before they reach the market in the name of public safety. But that coin has two sides, and there are those who say that the agency is too quick to approve potentially dangerous drugs and others who say that the agency's testing isn't thorough enough. Adding fuel to the fire are the recent memos obtained from Merck employees that suggest that the company was aggressively marketing Vioxx even though their sales staff knew the drug was potentially dangerous.
There may be no link between Viagra and blindness at all, as the form of sudden blindness alleged to have been caused by Viagra use is common to the sorts of patients who have erectile disfunction. The FDA is just being cautious, as they should be. Further tests will determine if there is an actual link. The party likely to suffer immediately is Pfizer, as stockholders, already concerned about Bextra lawsuits, drove the stock price lower immediately upon the release of the Viagra news. Sales will probably decrease, too, as patients who are now accustomed to reading about drugs being withdrawn from the market may shy away from the product until further tests are done. That could present a huge income for Pfizer, as they currently sell about $2 billion worth of Viagra each year. The drug business is a profitable one, but like any business, comes with risks. This year, it would seem that Pfizer is getting a double dose of bad medicine. ©Copyright 2005 by Retro Marketing. Charles Essmeier is the owner of Retro Marketing, a firm devoted to informational Websites, including Bextra-Info.net, a site devoted to the withdrawn drug Bextra and StructuredSettlementHelp.com, a site devoted to structured settlements.
Related News
|
 |
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Vioxx Personal Injury Lawsuits
Personal injury attorneys representing clients who have allegedly been harmed by the prescription drug Vioxx are congratulating themselves over a historic judgment rendered recently. On August 19, 2005, a judge awarded the family of Bob Ernst $253.4 million due to his death from the drug. Vioxx, which had been prescribed most often for arthritis pain, was withdrawn globally by its maker, Merck, after research trials showed it increased patients' chances of a heart attack. Although Merck pulled the drug off the market in September 2004, legal action against this leading pharmaceutical giant will continue and expand. Let's take a look at why Vioxx has become a litigation lightning rod.
Molluscum Contagiosum Virus (MCV) Treatment Information - But First, What Is Molluscum?
Molluscum contagiosum treatment is certainly possible with the correct treatment information.
7 Tips to Immediately Reduce Rotator Cuff Pain
1. Support the affected arm during activities of daily living. This includes driving, typing at the computer, sitting in a chair and relaxing in your lazy boy at home. Gravity pulls the arm down when it is unsupported, and this increases strain on the rotator cuff. It is best to use a soft pillow or cushion when available.
Strong Pain Relief - Powerful & Effective Natural Pain Management Alternative
The recent removal of several high profile and popular prescription pain medications of the same pharmaceutical family, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories, from the buyer's market has left many people searching for a safer alternative for powerful, fast and effective pain relief. The most recent removal was Pfizer's pulling of Bextra, citing serious skin reactions, sometimes fatal, and two others, Vioxx and Celebrex have been linked to heart related risks. The dangerous side effects of this particular family of medications is definitely cause for alarm, and has many seeking alternatives that will manage their pain effectively, without the serious risks of several pharmaceutical pain killers.
Lotronex Lawyer: Lotronex Side Effects Lawsuit
Even in clinical trials, Lotronex displayed a tendency towards causing ischemic colitis in patients. From the February in which Lotronex was approved until June, the FDA received seven reports of serious complications of constipation leading to hospitalization. Surgery was required to relieve some cases of extreme Lotronex constipation. Lotronex Medication Guides were issued under regulations that became effective in 1999 when Lotronex patients ended up in hospitalization and requiring surgical procedures for constipation. Since Lotronex is a drug used to treat diarrhea, these surgeries were obviously not necessary to treat conditions held before taking the drug.
Sinusitis: Sinus Infection Deals a Corporate KO
Sinusitis and Sinus Infection Starts with a Little Sniffle
Lamisil Side Effects Lawyer: Lamisil Tablet
While the recent Lamisil commercial featuring Digger, a disgusting cartoon fungus, is still fresh in our mind (who could forget the imagery of a toenail being pulled back and colorful germs crawling in?) it is a good time to look at the side effects of this seemingly innocuous drug. Despite the disturbing advertising campaign, who would have guessed that an antifungal tablet could have so many negative side effects?
Seroquel Side Effects: Effects of Seroquel Worth the Risk?
Seroquel is an atypical antipsychotic drug that is used to treat hallucinations, delusions and confusion caused by psychotic conditions such as bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. Atypical antipsychotics are not SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) or benzodiazepines. Atypical antipsychotics like Seroquel affect only certain parts of the brain, blocking the input of serotonin, dopamine, norepinephrine, histamine, and muscarine. The benefit to atypical antipsychotics is that they are non-habit forming and are not as frequently abused as normal antipsychotics.
Resperate or RESPeRATE - this device controls blood pressure however you spell it!
Resperate is natural and powerful and it puts you in control of your blood pressure.
Benefits of a Virtual Top Doctor Consultant
Looking for the best doctor to suite your medical needs can be a problem, especially if you don't have time and you need to research the doctor's credentials. Whether you're in urgent need of help, or just need a second opinion, I will show you how to access all the information you need ? through the Internet's Virtual Top Doctor Consultant.
Mend Your Arthritis Pain Relief
=====KNOW YOUR ARTHRITIS=====
?Foot Pain Relief At Last!?
"As an arthritis specialist, one area that I see people complain about more often than almost any other, is their feet." So says Dr. Nathan Wei, Clinical Director of The Arthritis and Osteoporosis Center of Maryland. "This is too bad because there are many treatments that can be helpful," Dr. Wei adds.
The P Value And Its Significance
When diversifying an investment portfolio, one needs to consider investing in the healthcare industries. Pharmaceutical companies that have strong pipelines of investigation drugs have strong growth speculations. In addition to examining its pipelines, one also needs to be able to evaluate the results of its clinical trials. When a news program reports the results of a clinical trial for a new drug to be "statistically significant," what does it mean? And how did they come up with that conclusion? One of the most important values to look for when interpreting the results of a study is the P value.
?Ooohhh? my aching knee!!!? Insider Secrets on How You Can Get Relief Quickly and Easily!
When your knee hurts, getting relief is all that's on your mind. Getting the right relief, though, depends on knowing what's wrong. The correct diagnosis will lead to the correct treatment.
Powerful Arthritis Pain Relief For All Of Us
When you ask what arthritis is, professinals will tell you it's inflammation of one or more joints. But you know it better as pain, swelling, stiffness, deformity, and/or a diminished range of motion of those joints! It's estimated that over 50 million Americans suffer from osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and other related conditions.
Propulsid Litigation Lawyer Says: Unnecessary Drug Killed 80 People
Propulsid was a popular nighttime heartburn drug before it was pulled in the market in March of 2000. It was linked to dozens of fatal heart rhythm abnormalities. A Food and Drug Administration (FDA) document associated the drug with 341 reports of heart rhythm abnormalities and 80 reported deaths. The FDA also acknowledges that only a small fraction of problems with a drug are ever reported.
New Company Helps Another Medical Condition Become: ?Acceptable? Dinner Conversation
Recently once taboo subjects like plastic surgery have become acceptable dinner conversation. Medical conditions are no longer whispered to friends, but have instead become part of the dinner table conversation with full blown discussions on Botox, erectile dysfunction and the feared colonoscopy. However recently there is a new kid on the block, well maybe not so new, it's actually plain old heel pain. You might ask why is this happening? Why is it so important now? After all heel pain for the most part won't kill you.
Dr. Will Horsley, M.D.
Dr. Horsley is Cornea fellowship trained and Lasik board certified by the American Board of Eye Surgeons, (http://www.aces-abes.org) in addition to being Board Certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology. Other refractive surgeries performed at the Horsley Eye Center are Conductive Keratoplasty, (to restore reading vision after 40), clear lens exchange, (for sever hyperopia), and the intra ocular contact lens or ICL for extremes of myopia untreatable by laser refractive procedures.
I Hurt All Over... How to Ease Away the Pain of Fibromyalgia!
At one moment, a life of activity consumed with enjoyable activities like biking, golfing, going to the movies, out to dinner. Then one day, it's gone. Replaced with constant pain and fatigue. Here's the lowdown on fibromyalgia.
Stopping Hospital Infections
Each year hospitals end up killing twice as many people than automobiles, some 90,000 deaths in the United States. It is not from malpractice, it is due to infections. Hospital infections affect over 2 million patients every year. Scientists are working to prevent these infections one of the newest innovations is silver nano-particles. Microscopic anti-microbial coated nano-particles would be used to keep the infections at bay. Tools used in surgery would be coated with these particles, along with perhaps rubber gloves. One of the companies working on this scheme is AcryMed, which makes surgical devices in Portland, Oregon.
|
