A wrongful death lawsuit was filed Monday in Tuscaloosa County against a drug company that makes and sells Celebrex.
The wrongful death complaint was filed in state court by Michael H. Allen, Administrator of the Estate of Nina Earline Ratliff, who was a resident of Tuscaloosa County. Ms. Ratliff died of complications due to Stevens Johnson Syndrome (SJS), which she developed as a result of taking Celebrex.
Pfizer had stopped advertising for the arthritis drug after Merck & Co. Inc.'s rival drug Vioxx was withdrawn from the market.
Celebrex is in the same category as Vioxx, which was recalled by its manufacturer, Merck & Co., on Sept. 30, 2004, and has since faced an avalanche of injury claims across the country.
Five plaintiffs claim they suffered heart attacks, strokes or other serious injuries and economic damages as a result of taking the pain-reliever Celebrex in a suit filed April 5 in Madison County Circuit Court.
They stress the significant risks associated with the drug early on, comparing them with the risks of rival painkillers naproxen and ibuprofen.
With the soaring prices of prescription medications, one would hope that the drugs we purchase are actually helpful in fighting the ailments they are developed to better than any other prescription.
The FDA has thousands of accounts suggesting the painkiller may be linked to heart attacks. Critics are unsure if flaw is in drug or agency's reporting system.
Despite Celebrex's well-documented link to higher heart risks, Pfizer Inc. wants permission to sell its painkiller to treat children as young as 2 who have arthritis.
The first Celebrex trial, originally set for June 6, 2006, has been delayed indefinitely, reportedly to give attorneys more time to gather information.
