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Article: Leading drug company accused of concealing potential side effects.
- Article from:
- The Philadelphia Inquirer (Philadelphia, PA)
- Article date:
- November 18, 2004
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2004 The Philadelphia Inquirer. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Byline: Chris Mondics
WASHINGTON _ Two leading scientists said in Senate testimony Thursday that they were pressured to back off criticism of the painkiller Vioxx after they warned it might cause heart attacks and strokes in some patients.
David Graham, a scientist at the Food and Drug Administration, said Vioxx may have caused as many as 55,000 deaths over five years. But Graham, in testimony before the Senate Finance Committee, said that when he raised questions about the safety of Vioxx with other FDA officials he was pressured to keep quiet.
"Vioxx is a terrible tragedy and a profound regulatory failure," said Graham. "I would argue that ...