Excellent news! The FDA rejected Merck’s request to market Arcoxia, their new arthritis medication that was developed as a replacement to the deadly Vioxx. A panel of FDA advisers voted 20-1 against the approval.

This is great news, indeed, as Arcoxia is in the same class of drugs as Vioxx -- the now withdrawn painkiller that increased heart attack risk by 50 percent. Critics have expressed that Arcoxia may be just as risky for your heart, too. At least one study comparing Arcoxia with another drug, naproxen, found Arcoxia resulted in a 60 percent to 70 percent higher risk to your heart.

Still, we’re not out of the woods just yet. Arcoxia is already being sold in 63 other countries, and Merck officials have said that they intend to keep trying to get Arcoxia approved in the United States as well.

USA Today April 27, 2007