Following the recent revelations that Vioxx cause a high incidence of heart attacks and strokes, a competing drug from Pfizer, Bextra, has now been shown to display similar health problems. What's especially weighty about this particular revelation is that it comes from the American Heart Association, a disease-industry group that has traditionally acted in favor of pharmaceutical companies. Because of this, the AHA deserves credit for allowing this study to be published.
In the preliminary results, Bextra was found to increase the incidence of heart attacks and strokes by 219%. The cardiologist who presented the study, Dr. Garret Fitzgerald, called Bextra, "A time bomb waiting to go off," and noted that the apparent dangers of Bextra exceed those associated with Vioxx.
Pfizer, of course, downplayed the study in an attempt to minimize any negative backlash from its release. The question remains, however: will Pfizer now follow in Merck's footsteps and voluntarily recall Bextra? And if it refuses to do so, will the FDA step in and finally perform the regulatory function it has been so reluctant to use by banning Bextra from the market? Or will this warning be swept aside in favor of a policy that allows this drug to continue to be sold to tens of millions of Americans, regardless of its questionable safety?
About the author: Mike Adams is a natural health researcher, author and award-winning journalist with a strong interest in personal health, the environment and the power of nature to help us all heal He has authored more than 1,800 articles and dozens of reports, guides and interviews on natural health topics, and he has authored and published several downloadable personal preparedness courses including a downloadable course focused on safety and self defense. Adams is an honest, independent journalist and accepts no money or commissions on the third-party products he writes about or the companies he promotes. In 2010, Adams created TV.NaturalNews.com, a natural living video sharing site featuring thousands of user videos on foods, fitness, green living and more. He also founded an environmentally-friendly online retailer called BetterLifeGoods.com that uses retail profits to help support consumer advocacy programs. He's also a noted pioneer in the email marketing software industry, having been the first to launch an HTML email newsletter technology that has grown to become a standard in the industry. Adams is currently the executive director of the Consumer Wellness Center, a 501(c)3 non-profit, and pursues hobbies such as martial arts, Capoeira, nature macrophotography and organic gardening.
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Wednesday, November 10, 2004
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