Pfizer and a $2.3 billion settlement

Wow, you don't hear about a $2.3 billion settlement every day. It's hard for me to even imagine that much money. According to several circulating reports, Pfizer will pay $2.3 billion for improper marketing of Bextra (Valdecoxib), which was removed from the market in 2005. Bextra was a COX-2 inhibitor. I remember when COX-2 inhibitors came out. Many people were so excited to see an NSAID that wouldn't harm the stomach. We saw tremendous success with Celebrex (Celecoxib) and Vioxx (rofecoxib). We thought they were going to be wonder drugs for older adults with arthritis, back pain, etc.

You probably know who made Vioxx (Merck). Do you know who makes Celebrex? It's Pfizer. Now, we're left with Celebrex as the only COX-2 inhibitor. I wonder if we'll see new COX-2 inhibitors emerge on the market.