The Issues about Bextra Arthritis Drug

Bextra is a popular arthritis drug – until the U.S. Food and Drug Administration mandated its pullout from the market. Bextra is a NSAID drug, which stands for Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug. It is manufactured by Pharmacia Corporation and is distributed by the pharmaceutical giant Pfizer. Bextra is sold under the generic name Valdecoxib. This drug primarily acts as a painkiller, which is very helpful for people with arthritis.

The main reason why Bextra was pulled out from the market is because of its side effects. Bextra is known to cause fatal skin reactions to the patients who take it on a regular basis. That is the main reason why the FDA had mediated its removal from pharmacies nationwide. It is a good thing that Pfizer had voluntarily recalled their product for the public's safety. During the recall, patients who are taking Bextra for their arthritis are requested to stop taking the drug immediately and talk to their physicians for a better alternative.

On the other hand, Pfizer is currently studying Bextra, its composition, and its effects, in the hope of finding ways on how to improve it and remove its harmful side effects. The FDA previously stated that the skin reactions produced by Bextra can be life-threatening for some. Bextra is also believed to put patients at the higher risks of cardiovascular diseases.

Bextra is created primarily for osteoarthritis patients. Osteoarthritis is the condition characterized by the overuse of the joints. This is usually brought about by strenuous sports and exercises, aging, and obesity. Bextra belongs to the group of anti-inflammatory drugs that blocks the cyclooxygenase 2 enzyme. As such, these drugs are also alternately called as the COX-2 inhibitors. While the other side effects of NSAIDs such as stomach upsets were sidestepped by Bextra, it had failed to address the risks of severe skin irritations and heart concerns as mentioned earlier. Minus its side effects, Bextra is supposedly good for menstrual pains and rheumatoid arthritis as well.

However, the safety issues brought about by Bextra and similar drugs had left patients confused about which drug to take. That development also created a buzz over the health care sector as it became a cause of concern as far as the choice of drug that should be prescribed to patients is concerned. The recall of the Bextra drug had created a big impact on arthritis patients. Because of the supposed adverse reactions produced by the drug, patients started to doubt the effectiveness of their own medicines, regardless if it is named Bextra or not. Some have even decided not to take their medicines anymore and just resort to alternative medicines. In worse cases, patients choose to withstand the pain of arthritis in resignation. The recall of Bextra has brought about perplexity, leading to patients unnecessarily suffering the symptoms of arthritis.

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