Ortiz Eduardo
J Manag Care Pharm. 2004 Nov-Dec;10(6):551-4. doi: 10.18553/jmcp.2004.10.6.551.
On September 30, 2004, Merck and Co. Inc., the manufacturer of the arthritis drug rofecoxib (Vioxx), announced the worldwide voluntary market withdrawal of rofecoxib after a study confirmed long-standing concerns that use of the drug raises the risk of heart attack and stroke.1 The drug was aggressively marketed after receiving U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval in 1999 and has resulted in more than 84 million prescriptions worldwide. More than 2 million people were taking Vioxx at the time of the recall, making this the largest voluntary drug recall in history. The recall has substantial financial implications as well. Vioxx brought in more than $2.5 billion annually for Merck and was responsible for approximately 10% of its worldwide sales.
2004年9月30日，关节炎药物罗非昔布（万络）的制造商默克公司宣布在一项研究证实了长期以来关于使用该药物会增加心脏病发作和中风风险的担忧后，在全球范围内自愿撤出罗非昔布市场。1 该药物在1999年获得美国食品药品监督管理局（FDA）批准后进行了大力推广，在全球范围内开出了超过8400万张处方。召回时，超过200万人正在服用万络，这使其成为历史上最大规模的自愿药品召回事件。此次召回也带来了巨大的财务影响。万络每年为默克公司带来超过25亿美元的收入，约占其全球销售额的10%。
