| Aetna Informs Members and Physicians about Bextra
April 11, 2005
HARTFORD, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 11, 2005--Aetna (NYSE:AET) announced today it is contacting more than 33,000 members who have used Bextra(R) to inform them directly about the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) decision to ask that Bextra be withdrawn from the market. The FDA last Thursday concluded the overall risk versus benefit profile for that medication is unfavorable.
In addition, Aetna will inform physicians and members that it is not paying any claims for Bextra prescriptions as of April 7, the day the FDA asked Pfizer Inc. to withdraw the drug from the market. Aetna Pharmacy Management has instituted computer system edits that will automatically block Bextra prescriptions from being paid.
Besides the direct communications, Aetna Pharmacy Management will communicate the news concerning Bextra and increased warnings the FDA is requiring of all Cox-2s and NSAIDs (Ibuprophen-like medications) on its corporate and pharmacy websites in an attempt to reach all members.
The FDA has been studying the safety of Cox-2 inhibitors since Merck & Co. voluntarily pulled VIOXX(R) from the market after heart problems were reported in some users. In addition to the prescription Cox-2 inhibitors and NSAIDs, the FDA asked manufacturers of over-the-counter non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs to revise their labels to include information about the risks of cardiovascular incidences and gastrointestinal bleeding.
As one of the nation's leading providers of health care, dental, pharmacy, group life, disability and long-term care benefits, Aetna puts information and helpful resources to work for its approximately 13.7 million medical members, 11.9 million dental members, 8.4 million pharmacy members and 13.5 million group insurance members to help them make better informed decisions about their health care and protect their finances against health-related risks. Aetna provides easy access to cost-effective health care through a nationwide network of more than 655,000 health care professionals, including over 390,000 primary care and specialist doctors and 3,937 hospitals. For more information, please visit www.aetna.com. (Figures as of December 31, 2004)
Celebrex(R) and BEXTRA(R) are registered trademarks of Pfizer Inc VIOXX(R) (rofecoxib) is a registered trademark of Merck & Co., Inc.
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