Two studies indicate that the controversial Cox-2 Inhibitor drugs, such as Vioxx and Bextra, may protect people from colon cancer.
However, Pfizer, manufacturer of Celebrex, the last commercially available Cox-2 drug, completely funded one of the studies, and partially paid for the other.
Fewer Colon Polyps
In the latter study, which involved more than 2,000 patients, less than half of those taking Celebrex developed polyps in their colons, versus 60 percent of people taking a placebo. In the other study, about a third of the patients taking 400 mg of Celebrex daily developed new colon polyps. Interestingly, nearly 8 percent of the patients taking Celebrex in the Pfizer-funded study suffered from heart-related side effects.
Not for Heart Patients
Due to the known heart risks of Celebrex, researchers did not recommend it for patients with cardiovascular problems.