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By Steven DiJoseph

The saga of the class of drugs known as COX-2 inhibitors has provided an ongoing glimpse into a number of aspects of the multi-billion dollar pharmaceutical industry. These so-called “super aspirins,” were seen by critics as over-priced painkillers that worked no better than older, safer, and far less expensive drugs. Supporters viewed them as safe and effective drugs that were easier on the stomach than other pain medications.

The three main COX-2s (Celebrex, Vioxx, and Bextra) quickly reached “blockbuster” status and produced billions of dollars in annual sales for Pfizer (Celebrex and Bextra) and Merck (Vioxx). Massive direct-to-consumer (DTC) marketing campaigns, featuring everything from celebrity spokespersons to classic rock and roll music, kept the drugs in the public eye on a 24/7 basis.

Between January 2003 and June 2004 alone, Merck & Co. spent almost $123.9 million dollars in DTC advertising to persuade the public that Vioxx offered safe and effective treatment for acute and chronic pain associated with osteoarthritis, primary dysmenorrhea (moderate to severe menstrual pain), and other problems.
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By Steven DiJoseph

No sooner had the ink dried on a Wall Street Journal report that Bausch & Lomb had learned of eye infections linked to its ReNu With Moisture-Loc from Hong Kong health officials in November 2005, than the timeline was moved backward yet again.

While Bausch & Lomb claims that the November time frame was the very earliest it knew of a potential problem, it now seems that, once again, the company may have been guilty of the cardinal sin of product recalls, delay and misinformation by the manufacturer.

The number of suspected or confirmed cases of Fusarium keratitis fungal eye infections in the U.S. has risen to 186 in 29 states according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
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The now infamous black skyscraper was once an integral part of the Wall Street financial district standing in the shadow of the twin towers of the World Trade Center (WTC). Then came September 11, 2001 and, from that day on, all references to the Deutsche Bank building at 130 Liberty Street have had disturbing implications.As the south tower of the WTC collapsed, the debris from that massive structure crashed into everything in the surrounding area including other smaller buildings. One of the most striking images from that catastrophe was the 40-story Deutsche Bank building being ripped open and laid bare by a huge section of the south tower as it plummeted to the street below.
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