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Vioxx, the drug used as a painkiller for conditions such as osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis has been withdrawn. The manufacturer, Merck has announced the global withdrawal of the drug after a colon cancer trial confirmed long-standing concerns the drug raises the risk of heart attack and stroke.

The UK Medicine and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency has advised doctors, senior nurses and NHS managers of the withdrawal, due to concerns about its safety, which is said to show an increased risk of confirmed serious thrombotic events, including heart attacks and strokes.

A recent study by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration suggested patients taking Vioxx faced a 50 percent greater risk of heart attacks and sudden cardiac death than those taking a rival treatment.

Merck said it withdrew the drug following data from a new three-year trial of Vioxx, designed to evaluate the effectiveness of the drug's standard 25 milligram dose in preventing recurrence of colorectal polyps. Such polyps often become cancerous.

Merck said in a release: "In this study, there was an increased relative risk for confirmed cardiovascular events, such as heart attack and stroke, beginning after 18 months of treatment in the patients taking Vioxx compared to those taking placebo."

Already in the United States law firms are progressing with pursuing action on behalf of individuals who believe they have been harmed as a result of taking the drug.

Vioxx legal advice
If you have suffered any adverse side effects as a result of Vioxx and require Vioxx legal advice, please complete the online enquiry form. Your enquiry will be forwarded to a specialist product liability solicitor.

If you believe that you might have a legal claim relating to Vioxx , please complete the online enquiry form or call 0870 024 0558. Your enquiry will be forwarded to a solicitor who specialises in Vioxx .

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