Vioxx Could Rejoin Painkillers on Market

[Guest guest]

This the kind of stuff that REALLY p*sses me off!

 

Herbs that have been used for millennia are taken off of the market.

Some are even totally illegal and said to have no therapeutic benefits

or that the risks are far greater than any benefits. Our gov't agencies

have tried to regulate vitamins even! But this pharmaceutical CRAP, that

is KNOWN to harm people who are seeking help, is just fine! Yeah right

the benefits outweigh the risks, and I'm a monkey's uncle

 

If anybody wonders why I have little to no faith in our " western "

medical system, which is bloated with corruption, hampered by tunnel

vision and has NO true regard for the Hippocratic Oath, this is a

perfect example. I do NOT trust them with my life or the life of my

loved ones

 

BTW - out of interest to some ... here is the original version of the

Hippocratic Oath

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/doctors/oath_classical.html

 

and here is the modern version

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/doctors/oath_modern.html

 

Sorry for ranting folks ..

 

*Sigh*

Chris (list mom)

http://www.alittleolfactory.com

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

http://start.earthlink.net/article/nat?guid=20050219/4216c7d0_3ca6_15526

20050219-552610104

 

February 19, 2005 7:56 AM EST

 

WASHINGTON - The popular painkillers Celebrex and Bextra are likely to

stay on the market, and Vioxx may rejoin them, now that government

advisers have concluded their benefits outweigh their risks.

 

The advisers said Friday that people who depend on these drugs should be

allowed to keep using them despite risks of heart problems and strokes.

They suggested the prescription products carry strong warnings and

recommended a long-term study.

 

While the Food and Drug Administration isn't required to follow the

recommendations of the its advisory groups, it generally does.

 

Celebrex and Bextra, made by Pfizer Inc., are widely sold and are likely

to remain so following the recommendations. The panel voted 31-1 to keep

Celebrex on sale and 17-13 with two abstaining for Bextra.

 

Merck & Co., which pulled Vioxx off the market Sept. 30, suggested

Thursday that a positive ruling by the advisers might lead it to

consider putting the drug back on sale. But the vote recommending that

it be made available to consumers was close, 17-15.

 

Since Vioxx was removed from the market voluntarily, it remains an

approved drug. Merck issued a statement following the vote saying only

that it was looking forward to talks with the FDA.

 

Meeting Chairman Alistair J.J. Wood of Vanderbilt University Medical

School said, " The data are very compelling, Vioxx is substantially worse

than the others. "

 

Studies varied in the amount of hazard for each product. Wood indicated

there was about a 1 percent increase in risk of heart problems from

Celebrex, a seemingly small number that can translate into a lot of

problems over the entire population.

 

But the problems didn't occur at the normal dose of 200 milligrams, the

panel was told. Only when people began taking 400-milligram doses in a

colon polyp study did troubles show up.

 

The group was unanimous in saying the drugs, known as Cox-2 inhibitors,

pose risks of heart trouble. They were critical of the limited data

available for Bextra.

 

Merck shares soared after the announcement and closed up $3.76, or 13

percent, at $32.61 on the New York Stock Exchange. Pfizer shares rose

$1.74, or 7 percent, to $26.80, also on the NYSE.

 

The advisers suggested changes to the way the drugs are sold, such as

placing a " black box " warning on them to alert consumers to potential

risks; including more patient information with the drugs; restricting

which patients could get them; and possibly banning direct-to-consumer

advertising.

 

Wood said the public must better understand the nature of risk, noting

that " people worry about crime and then drive drunk. "

 

Dr. Steven Nissen, medical director of the Cleveland Clinic's heart

center, said, " What we really want is to make sure it's available for

patients that need it and is unavailable to patients for whom it's

inappropriate. "

 

The advisers noted that other painkillers also have side effects, often

leading to stomach problems and bleeding.

 

" There is a very important need for more information on many of these

drugs, " including their effects on blood pressure, Dr. Robert Temple,

director of medical policy for the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and

Research, told the advisers Friday.

 

---

 

On the Net:

 

Food and Drug Administration: http://www.fda.gov

 

Merck Research Laboratories: http://www.merck.com/

 

Pfizer Inc.: http://www.pfizer.com/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Christine,

 

So glad you ranted this morning - now I don't have to! : - )

 

Sandi

BlackKat Herbs

http://www.blackkatherbs.com

 

 

>

[Guest guest]

Christine wrote:

If anybody wonders why I have little to no faith in our " western " medical

system, which is bloated with corruption, hampered by tunnel vision and has NO

true regard for the Hippocratic Oath, this is a perfect example. >

 

You are singin g my song girl!

And I am getting more radicaly by the day.

Though the Canadian government

pleasantly surprised me by taking Adderall off the market.

 

Ien in the Kootenays

*********************************

" The world is as you dream it.

But your dream has become a nightmare.

What you need is a new dream. "

Amazon Shaman, quoted in Utne

One good dream: http://theforestpath.com

*********************************

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Chris,

 

I too, am glad you ranted about this one! Another rant.....Vioxx is not a

painkiller. It is an anti-inflamatory pain reducer/reliever. So....if your

pain isn't from some type of inflammation, this isn't going to do crap for

pain.

 

A pain killer is one that will KILL pain from whatever source. Those that

come to mind would be like Codeine or Morphine. Those are pain killers.

 

I actually took two Vioxx pills.....that gave me diarrhea from h*ll....and

bloody stools. I told my doctor about it, and his response..... " Gee, I've

not heard of THAT as a side effect! " . Oh I was so very ticked about

that....like I was lying or something. <GRRRRR!>

 

Told him to keep his pills, that regular old aspirin worked better! Or even

some white willow bark.

 

It's a very sad day that we can't have some herbal remedies that DO

work....and in exchange we get some stupid pharmaceutical pill pushers,

giving us poisons that can and do KILL. Geez.....

 

On the other side of the coin though....for those folks that have used

Vioxx....and it helped their pain...and have found nothing else that works

for them.....as long as they are making an informed choice regarding the

drug....then it should be their choice. Personally, I'd rather die from

the pain, than take the chance of having a stroke, heart attack....or

whatever.

 

Oh well.....it's one of those things....what do you do? Keep ranting, and

perhaps some of the folks that bring this crap to the public will wise up

and give all us folks safer choices.

 

Just my measly 2 pennies.

Candy

[Guest guest]

Hey Chris,

 

Don't you mean the HYPOCRITE oath?

 

ROFLOL! ;-)

 

Kelly

(who shares your level of " faith " in Western medicine!)

 

Christine Ziegler wrote:

> This the kind of stuff that REALLY p*sses me off!

>

> Herbs that have been used for millennia are taken off of the market.

> Some are even totally illegal and said to have no therapeutic benefits

> or that the risks are far greater than any benefits. Our gov't agencies

> have tried to regulate vitamins even! But this pharmaceutical CRAP, that

> is KNOWN to harm people who are seeking help, is just fine! Yeah right

> the benefits outweigh the risks, and I'm a monkey's uncle

>

> If anybody wonders why I have little to no faith in our " western "

> medical system, which is bloated with corruption, hampered by tunnel

> vision and has NO true regard for the Hippocratic Oath, this is a

> perfect example. I do NOT trust them with my life or the life of my

> loved ones

>

> BTW - out of interest to some ... here is the original version of the

> Hippocratic Oath

> http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/doctors/oath_classical.html

>

> and here is the modern version

> http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/doctors/oath_modern.html

>

> Sorry for ranting folks ..

 

 

--

 

 

Version: 7.0.300 / Virus Database: 266.1.0 - Release 2/18/2005

[Guest guest]

I had been taking Vioxx for my arthritis - only thing I've ever found that

worked. But I have a long family history of severe arthritis.

Paula ........in Michigan

Coming soon Farm Fresh Soaps & Candles

 

 

Chris,

 

I too, am glad you ranted about this one! Another rant.....Vioxx is not a

painkiller. It is an anti-inflamatory pain reducer/reliever. So....if your

pain isn't from some type of inflammation, this isn't going to do crap for

pain.

 

A pain killer is one that will KILL pain from whatever source. Those that

come to mind would be like Codeine or Morphine. Those are pain killers.

 

I actually took two Vioxx pills.....that gave me diarrhea from h*ll....and

bloody stools. I told my doctor about it, and his response..... " Gee, I've

not heard of THAT as a side effect! " . Oh I was so very ticked about

that....like I was lying or something. <GRRRRR!>

 

Told him to keep his pills, that regular old aspirin worked better! Or even

some white willow bark.

 

It's a very sad day that we can't have some herbal remedies that DO

work....and in exchange we get some stupid pharmaceutical pill pushers,

giving us poisons that can and do KILL. Geez.....

 

On the other side of the coin though....for those folks that have used

Vioxx....and it helped their pain...and have found nothing else that works

for them.....as long as they are making an informed choice regarding the

drug....then it should be their choice. Personally, I'd rather die from

the pain, than take the chance of having a stroke, heart attack....or

whatever.

 

Oh well.....it's one of those things....what do you do? Keep ranting, and

perhaps some of the folks that bring this crap to the public will wise up

and give all us folks safer choices.

 

Just my measly 2 pennies.

Candy

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

, " Christine Ziegler "

<chrisziggy@e...> wrote:

> This the kind of stuff that REALLY p*sses me off!

>

> Herbs that have been used for millennia are taken off of the market.

> Some are even totally illegal and said to have no therapeutic benefits

> or that the risks are far greater than any benefits. Our gov't agencies

> have tried to regulate vitamins even! But this pharmaceutical CRAP, that

> is KNOWN to harm people who are seeking help, is just fine! Yeah right

> the benefits outweigh the risks, and I'm a monkey's uncle

>

> If anybody wonders why I have little to no faith in our " western "

> medical system, which is bloated with corruption, hampered by tunnel

> vision and has NO true regard for the Hippocratic Oath, this is a

> perfect example. I do NOT trust them with my life or the life of my

> loved ones

 

 

 

Hi Chris,

 

I did my ranting last night... I was at my parents and they do

something I never do (they watch the news).

 

I started into my rant in front of my Mom... maybe she thought I was

loony -who knows. I do know that she doesn't see things the same as I do.

 

All I could say is... " hmmm, why this sudden change of attitude from

the FDA? Someone's pockets were being lined somewhere for this "

 

I see the " lead story " phenomena for what it really is... someone is

is getting the word or the money to push this out into the public

big-time. (The news *started* with this story and it was certainly

'made' to sound like a legit and wise decision.)

 

People are gullible and will swallow it without ever thinking twice.

So sad.

 

I went to the links you listed. I read the " Doctor responses " and

Non-doctor responses " . I find it funny that not one of them brought

up the issue about " not giving drugs " contained in the original.

 

Also, I love that the original contains reference to the " barbers " .

They were like butchers and those who took the hippocratic oath wanted

to be nothing like them. Makes me think of the plastic surgeons and

cosmetic surgeries so rampant among our societies.

 

Andrea

[Guest guest]

This is a little off the subject but since the government is now controlling

herbs and taking so many off the market , if we continue to grow them could we

get busted like if it were pot ?

 

Sally

-

C. Lucas<cdlucas

< >

Saturday, February 19, 2005 11:05 AM

Re: Vioxx Could Rejoin Painkillers on Market

 

 

 

Told him to keep his pills, that regular old aspirin worked better! Or even

some white willow bark.

 

It's a very sad day that we can't have some herbal remedies that DO

work....and in exchange we get some stupid pharmaceutical pill pushers,

giving us poisons that can and do KILL. Geez.....

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

> I had been taking Vioxx for my arthritis - only thing I've ever found that

> worked. But I have a long family history of severe arthritis.

> Paula ........in Michigan

> Coming soon Farm Fresh Soaps & Candles

 

Paula,

 

This is why I said, that folks at least need to make informed decisions. My

father also took Vioxx for his arthritis pain. He said it wasn't the best

he'd ever taken, but it worked well enough that he was able to function.

However, he said it's not a medication he'd consider taking again. His

brother also took Vioxx....and he did have a stroke a while back. Of

course, no one is making the connection between the two. My uncle has

regained alot of his bodily functions, however, he still cannot speak and

has very limited use of his right arm and hand. He tries so very hard to

communicate, but he can't. It's very frustrating for him, and for those

that want desperately to know what he's trying to convey.

 

The problem I have with any type of pharmaceutical....is there are soooo

very many side effects...and the really severe side effects (like heart

attack or whatever) are seldom ever made known to the public.

 

If I had severe arthritis....and had to make the choice between taking the

medication or suffering, I perhaps would make the decision to take the

medication. But, let me make the informed decision. Let me know that I

could possibly have a stroke or heart attack....or whatever. Let me weigh

the risks versus the benefits. I don't want the FDA or some Doctor making

that decision for me.

 

I've taken many many RX's over the years....and looking back at some of them

absolutely make me cringe. Would I still have taken them, had I known the

risks? Some of them, I most certainly would have taken, and would take them

again to this day. Some, I wouldn't touch with a 10 ft. pole!

 

So, at the risk of sounding like a broken record.....let me make the

decision. Give me all the info, and let me weigh the benefits v/s the risk.

 

Hopefully you have found something that will help your arthritis pain. If

not, perhaps Vioxx will be made available again, if you desire to take it.

It's just some really scary stuff, when the bad side effects start making

the news. Also, it's very sad for the people and their families that

have suffered the bad effects of any medication.....not only Vioxx.

 

Take good care!

Candy