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| PFIZER reported a fourfold increase in profits in the fourth quarter as it received an artificial boost from its painkillers Celebrex and Bextra after the rival Vioxx was withdrawn from the market. Worldwide sales of Celebrex rose 24 per cent from the same period in 2003 to $1 billion (£530 million), while sales of Bextra surged 57 per cent to $417 million. These drugs are also now under the scrutiny of US regulators, along with the entire class of medicines known as Cox-2 inhibitors. Merck, the rival drugmaker, withdrew Vioxx after a study showed that normal doses could double the risk of heart attack and stroke after 18 months. Last month, Pfizer said that one study of Celebrex showed similar safety issues. Read Full News |