Q:  What is Bextra?

A:  Bextra refers to the COX-2 selective nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug or NSAID. Bextra is available through prescription and is produced to relieve signs of osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis among adults and to relieve from painful menstrual cycles of women.

Q:  What is the most significant information I should know about Bextra?

A:  The US Food and Drug Administration or US-FDA announced that they asked Pfizer Inc. on April 7, 2005, to voluntarily recall Bextra, under the generic name valdecoxib, from the US market. Pfizer consented to stop its sales and marketing of the product Bextra in the US, pending ongoing discussions with the FDA.

Q:  What should I do if I am taking Bextra?

A:  Contact your doctor to discuss the suspension of use of Bextra and find an alternative treatment. Any decision about which drug to take to cure your signs should be made in consultation with your doctor based on the evaluation of your specific medication.

Q:  Why did the FDA ask Pfizer to voluntarily recall Bextra from the market?

A:  The FDA knows the risks and the benefit profile of Bestra is harmful.

Q:  If I have rheumatoid arthritis, what pain treatment should I be taking?

A:  Consult your physician to discuss the best option.

Q:  What should I tell the doctor if I suspect I have arthritis?

A:  The following are some of the things you can discuss with your doctor: which part you have pain or stiffness; when you have started to feel the pain or stiffness; what the pain feels like (is it sharp, stabbing, dull, aching); how long the pain lasts; how long you have the pain; what task you find hard to do now; if you ever injured your joints or overused them in a job or in a hobby; if anybody in your family had problems similar to yours; if you exercise, what kind of exercise you do and how often you do it?

Q:  What questions should I ask before leaving the doctor’s clinic for treatment of arthritis?

A:  What I can do to help relieve my pain and live more contentedly? What are the advantage and disadvantages of my previous treatment options? When might I expect to begin feeling better? What can I expect over the coming months or year? Under what circumstances should I call your clinic?

Q:  What should I do if I think I have been injured as a consequence of taking Bextra?

A:  If you have suffered the unusual side effects after taking Bextra, you must consult your doctor right away. Then, you can look for a lawyer who is experienced in product liability litigation to deliberate potential legal claims you might have to recover for injuries due to Bextra.

Q:  How could I succeed in suing the producer of a drug like Bextra?

A:  Since all treatments have some projected side effects, the drug producer has an obligation to make its pharmaceutical products as safe as possible, and to inform the community and the public of the risks related with its drugs. If the producers fail to do this, then it can be liable to the patients who are harmed due to insufficient or lack of warnings, or the hazards of the drug, under a legal theory known as “product liability.”