Recalled – The Withdrawn

RX-001 · 2004

COX-2 inhibitor

Vioxx (rofecoxib) — Merck’s Heart-Attack Painkiller Pulled in 2004, $4.85 Billion Paid

cardiovascular iatrogenic-mortality thrombotic cardiology pain-management rheumatology 2000s

1999→2004 (5.4 years) · Withdrawn

RX-002 · 1961

Teratogen

Thalidomide (Contergan/Distaval) — the “Safe” Sedative That Deformed 10,000 Babies and Rewrote Drug Law

congenital-malformation teratogenic obstetrics pediatrics teratology 1950s 1960s

1957→1961 (~4.2 years) · Withdrawn

RX-003 · 1997

Serotonergic anorectic

Fen-Phen (fenfluramine + phentermine) — the Diet-Drug Craze Yanked in 1997 for Wrecking Heart Valves

cardiovascular pulmonary-hypertension valvulopathy bariatric-medicine cardiology endocrinology 1990s

Fenfluramine 1973→1997 (24 yrs); Redux 1996→1997 · Withdrawn

RX-004 · 1971

Synthetic estrogen

DES (diethylstilbestrol) — the Useless Pregnancy Estrogen That Gave Daughters Vaginal Cancer

carcinogenic teratogenic transgenerational endocrinology gynecologic-oncology obstetrics 1940s 1950s 1970s

1947→1971 indication (24 yrs); synthesized 1938 · Withdrawn

RX-005 · 2001

Statin (HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor)

Baycol (cerivastatin) — Bayer’s Statin Pulled in 2001 After 52 Muscle-Breakdown Deaths

iatrogenic-mortality renal-failure rhabdomyolysis cardiology internal-medicine lipidology 1990s 2000s

1997→2001 (~4 years) · Withdrawn

RX-006 · 2000

Thiazolidinedione

Rezulin (troglitazone) — the Diabetes Pill Withdrawn in 2000 After 63 Liver-Failure Deaths

hepatotoxicity iatrogenic-mortality liver-failure diabetology endocrinology hepatology 1990s 2000s

1997→2000 (~3.1 years) · Withdrawn

RX-007 · 1998

Antihistamine

Seldane (terfenadine) — the Allergy Pill Pulled in 1998 for Deadly Heart Arrhythmias

cardiac-arrhythmia drug-interaction qt-prolongation allergy-immunology cardiology clinical-pharmacology 1980s 1990s

1985→1998 (~13 years; black box 1992) · Withdrawn

RX-008 · 2000

GI prokinetic

Propulsid (cisapride) — the Heartburn Blockbuster Pulled in 2000 After 80 Arrhythmia Deaths

cardiac-arrhythmia drug-interaction qt-prolongation cardiology gastroenterology pediatrics 1990s 2000s

1993→2000 (~7 years) · Withdrawn

RX-009 · 2010

opioid analgesic

Darvon and Darvocet (propoxyphene) — the “Weak Opioid” That Poisoned Hearts, Banned in 2010

cardiac-arrhythmia overdose-mortality qt-prolongation cardiology pain-management toxicology 1960s 2010s

1957→2010 (~53 years) · Withdrawn

RX-010 · 2005

COX-2 inhibitor

Bextra (valdecoxib) — Pfizer’s COX-2 Pulled in 2005 and a Record $2.3 Billion Fraud Settlement

cardiovascular dermatologic-mortality stevens-johnson cardiology dermatology rheumatology 2000s

2001→2005 (~3.4 years) · Withdrawn

RX-011 · 2010

Appetite suppressant

Meridia (sibutramine) — the Diet Pill Pulled in 2010 for Heart Attacks and Strokes

cardiovascular myocardial-infarction stroke bariatric-medicine cardiology endocrinology 2000s 2010s

1997→2010 (~13 years) · Withdrawn

RX-012 · 1998

T-type calcium-channel blocker

Posicor (mibefradil) — Roche’s Blood-Pressure Drug Pulled After One Year for Deadly Interactions

cardiac-arrhythmia drug-interaction rhabdomyolysis cardiology clinical-pharmacology internal-medicine 1990s

Jun 1997→8 Jun 1998 (~1 year) · Withdrawn

RX-013 · 1998

Oral NSAID

Duract (bromfenac) — the 10-Day Painkiller Pulled in 1998 for Fatal Liver Failure

hepatotoxicity iatrogenic-mortality liver-failure hepatology pain-management rheumatology 1990s

1997→1998 (0.94 years) · Withdrawn

RX-014 · 2007

Ergot dopamine agonist

Permax (pergolide) — the Parkinson’s Drug Pulled in 2007 for Quintupling Heart-Valve Damage

cardiovascular fibrotic valvulopathy cardiology movement-disorders neurology 1990s 2000s

1988→2007 (~19 years) · Withdrawn

RX-015 · 1978

biguanide

Phenformin (DBI) — the “Imminent Hazard” Diabetes Pill Banned in 1977, Half Its Victims Dead

iatrogenic-mortality lactic-acidosis metabolic diabetology endocrinology internal-medicine 1960s 1970s

1959→1978 (≈19 years) · Withdrawn

Every one was approved, sold, and pulled.