In April, 2000, I was dropped to my knees after taking Celebrex for only 4 days.

I have fought for my life every day since then. Celebrex caused Extremely Severe Fibromyalgia. My body can no longer maintain Saliva pH at 7.4, but only at 4.5 You cannot sustain life at that level. The liver cannot process enzymes correctly.

During the search for a diagnosis and effective treatment for the FMS, I discovered a malfunction in the natural flow of Serous Fluid body wide.

An all free, public domain web site explains what happened, what is keeping me alive and what this discovery, and the treatment we are using to reverse all symptoms on a daily basis, means to millions who have Fibromyalgia, Restless Leg Syndrome, IBS, and other related illnesses.

http://www.FibroFix.com

Anne Hillebrand
Orlando, FL

annehillebrand@bellsouth.net
407-925-4139

I am what is called a “thought leader” by the Pharmaceutical Industry, someone who is a (sub)specialty doctor whose clinical practice and opinions hold sway over his/her colleagues.

I feel I must post anonymously because of the charge I level below.

In my opinion, not only did Merck intentionally try to spin the VIGOR data to their advantage at every level, including their medical liaison group, but their subsequent attempts at linking the negative or adverse events to the “cardioprotective” effects of naproxen sodium and their tarring of all COX-II inhibitors as potentially dangerous, was done with the knowledge that rofecoxib (Vioxx) was a badly flawed product.

After I reviewed VIGOR as well as the FDA response as was posted on the Internet, all queries I made to Merck as to their explanation for the increased adverse cardiothrombotic events were ignored, deflected, and left ultimately unanswered.

As far as a “class effect” goes, there are no data to conclude, as was the case of rofecoxib (Vioxx), that either celecoxib (Celebrex) or valdecoxib (Bextra) have similar negative cardiothrombotic effects. I would go as far as to suggest, or challenge anyone to produce those data.

In no clinical trial with either celecoxib or valdecoxib does one see similar negative events.

It appears, or is at least theorized, that rofecoxib has a unique active metabolite or binding effect outside the COX-II enzyme site to explain the adverse event profile.

In any case, Merck’s gamble appeared to pay off, in as far as they were able to sell an additional $4-5 Billion of Vioxx after VIGOR was released and commented upon by the FDA, and after Vioxx received a black-box warning in its package insert.

I am glad to have resigned as a Merck speaker after VIGOR.

Thanks!