I was taking Vioxx® for my arthritis. Then it was taken off the market. I heard there's an even better drug being used in Europe called Bextra. When will we be able to have this drug in the United States?

Bextra (also known as Valdecoxib) is a new non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). It's used for the treatment of arthritis (both osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis). It's part of a group of drugs called COX-2 inhibitors. They don't cause as much gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding as the older groups of NSAIDS.

Bextra is the tablet form of Valdecoxib. It can also be injected into a muscle for fast and long-lasting relief of pain after surgery. The injectable form is called parecoxib (Dynastat). Doctors in other countries are using Dynastat. They use it after joint replacements, heart bypass operations, and even dental surgery.

There is some concern that Bextra increases the risk of stroke and heart attack, just like Vioxx®. It can also cause a fatal skin disorder in rare cases. Doctors don't think enough testing has been done to approve this drug for use in the United States. The drug company (Pfizer) is working to carry out longer-term trials in arthritis patients.