The Hindu : National : Use of pain killer Rofecoxib banned

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Oct 13, 2004

National

National

Use of pain killer Rofecoxib banned

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, OCT 12. The Union Health Ministry today decided to ban the use of the popular pain killer Rofecoxib in the wake of a study in the United States which found that the use of the drug significantly increased the risk of heart attacks, strokes and other cardio-vascular ailments.

Announcing the decision, a Ministry press release said it was decided to ban the drug after a meeting of the high-power National Pharmaco-vigilance Advisory Committee held here on Monday reviewed reports on the study and recommended that its use be discontinued with immediate effect.

The panel also recommended caution in the use of other drugs belonging to the same category — non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, which act through the inhibition of cyclooxygenase II (Cox II), a family of enzymes which are responsible for triggering pain.

Necessary steps would be taken to implement this decision also, said a spokesperson of the Ministry.

Rofecoxib has been in extensive use all over the world including India since 1999 for relief of signs and symptoms of osteo-arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and for management of acute pain and treatment of painful menstruation.

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