Company pulls pain drug from market.

After reviewing safety data on a range of anti-inflammatory drugs, the Food and Drug Administration on April 7 asked Pfizer to remove its prescription pain medication valdecoxib (Bextra) from the market. The New York City-based pharmaceutical firm subsequently ceased selling the drug both in the United States and in the European Union.

Known as a COX-2 inhibitor, Bextra belongs to the same class of drugs as rofecoxib (Vioxx), which manufacturer Merck yanked from pharmacy shelves last September after safety risks appeared (SN: 10/30/04, p. 286).

FDA also asked Pfizer and other companies to highlight safety warnings in the package inserts that are distributed with certain other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDs. Recent studies have linked long-term use of these drugs with cardiovascular risks. Some can also cause gastrointestinal damage or skin reactions. The drugs include another COX-2 inhibitor, Pfizer's celecoxib (Celebrex), numerous prescription NSAIDs, and over-the-counter NSAIDs such as ibuprofen and naproxen. The labeling change does not apply to the painkillers aspirin and acetaminophen.--B.H.