JointHealth™ express October 5, 2007
Health Canada is advising consumers that it has stopped the sale of the anti-inflammatory drug Prexige (lumiracoxib) in Canada and will cancel the drug's market authorization due to the potential for serious liver-related adverse events.
Prexige, a Cox-2 selective inhibitor non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, has been marketed in Canada since November 2006 for the treatment of the signs and symptoms of osteoarthritis in adults at a maximum daily dose of 100 milligrams (mg).
Patients currently using Prexige should contact their health care provider to discuss appropriate alternative treatment options. Consumers should not dispose of any unused product themselves, but should return the product to their pharmacy in order to ensure appropriate disposal. Any concerns or questions regarding potential reimbursement for patients who were using Prexige should be addressed to the pharmacy location at which Prexige was purchased or to the manufacturer, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Canada Inc.
For more information, please click here to visit the Health Canada web site.
Withdrawal of Market Authorization for Prexige®
Health Canada is advising consumers that it has stopped the sale of the anti-inflammatory drug Prexige (lumiracoxib) in Canada and will cancel the drug's market authorization due to the potential for serious liver-related adverse events.
Prexige, a Cox-2 selective inhibitor non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, has been marketed in Canada since November 2006 for the treatment of the signs and symptoms of osteoarthritis in adults at a maximum daily dose of 100 milligrams (mg).
Patients currently using Prexige should contact their health care provider to discuss appropriate alternative treatment options. Consumers should not dispose of any unused product themselves, but should return the product to their pharmacy in order to ensure appropriate disposal. Any concerns or questions regarding potential reimbursement for patients who were using Prexige should be addressed to the pharmacy location at which Prexige was purchased or to the manufacturer, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Canada Inc.
For more information, please click here to visit the Health Canada web site.
Arthritis Consumer Experts
ACE thanks Arthritis Research Canada (ARC) for its scientific review of ACE and JointHealth™ information and education programs.