What evidence supported the withdrawal of Vioxx from the market?
Merck’s based its decision to withdraw Vioxx from the market on data from a trial called APPROVe (Adenomatous Polyp Prevention on VIOXX). In the APPROVe trial, Vioxx was compared to a placebo. The purpose of the trial was to see if Vioxx 25 mg was effective in preventing the recurrence of colon polyps. This trial was stopped early because there was an increased risk of serious cardiovascular events, such as heart attacks and strokes, first observed after 18 months of continuous treatment with Vioxx compared with placebo.
