Case Study Analysis 1: Vioxx and Celebrex

Vioxx and Celebrex are prescription medicine designed for the relief of arthritis pain. They were designed because the existing available medication such as aspirin or ibuprofen was often the cause of stomach ulcers and bleeding. By 1999 Merck and Pfizer had developed Vioxx and Celebrex respectively, new drugs that provided relief from arthritis pain without the negative side effects of older medications. These drugs were soon approved by the FDA, Health Canada, and other governmental pharmaceutical …

…ER due to heart trouble Paramedics<Tab/>More calls due to heart problems Pharmacies<Tab/>Sales of prescription vs. over the counter drugs Insurance Companies<Tab/>Volume of claims Employees of Merck and Pfizer<Tab/>Jobs potentially lost if taken off market Families of patients<Tab/>Risk of losing loved ones to unnecessary heart problems