NEW YORK, Nov. 16, 2004 (PRIMEZONE) -- Parker & Waichman, LLP and Seeger Weiss LLP have filed a case in Supreme Court of the State of New York, County of New York against Pfizer, Inc (NYSE:PFE). The case is on behalf of the estate of a 46 year old New Jersey resident who died of a heart attack after using Bextra. The suit claims that Pfizer has not acted responsibly and has failed to adequately and timely warn consumers about the life-threatening side effects associated with Bextra. For more information on this suit and Bextra side effects please visit www.bextralegalhelp.com or www.yourlawyer.com/practice/contact.htm?topic=Bextra .
On November 9, 2004 a study was presented at the American Heart Association meeting in New Orleans that indicated a higher incidence of heart attacks and strokes in patients taking Bextra (valdecoxib) than those who used a placebo. This study included 5,930 patients from 12 trials and found 2.19 times the number of heart attacks or strokes among patients given Bextra compared with those given placebos. This incidence rate is actually higher than that of the Vioxx study which lead to Vioxx's withdrawal by Merck (NYSE:MRK). www.yourlawyer.com/practice/contact.htm?topic=Vioxx )
"It is time for Pfizer to take responsibility for the serious side effects of Bextra," commented Jerrold S. Parker, one of the founding partners of Parker & Waichman, LLP, a law firm committed to advocating for Bextra victims' rights. "Bextra is now commonly associated with three potentially fatal side effects: heart attack, stroke and "Stevens Johnson Syndrome", a severe inflammatory skin disorder. In light of the Vioxx debacle, it is appalling that Pfizer would keep this drug on the market. We will continue to bring claims on behalf of Bextra victims whose lives have been impaired or lost." All Bextra users can receive a free legal case evaluation by visiting: www.bextralegalhelp.com or www.yourlawyer.com/practice/contact.htm?topic=Bextra .
Bextra was approved by the FDA in 2001 for the treatment of osteoarthritis, adult rheumatoid arthritis and dysmenorrhea. In 2002, Pharmacia, which was purchased subsequently by Pfizer, included a warning about serious skin reactions including Stevens Johnson Syndrome on Bextra's label. In October 2004, Pfizer acknowledged that two clinical trials indicated that Bextra could increase the risk of heart attacks in heart bypass surgery patients.
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