I have a buddy that is a Merck rep, in Austin. We lived by each other in the early 2000s. He was the biggest Vioxx rep in Austin, and always had samples. Vioxx was recalled (biggest recall ever, highest monetary fine ever) around 2005. It was deemed as the cause of a few heart attacks, thus, the human cost was considered to outweigh the benefits. What did the FDA and doctors go back to prescribing? Opiates. Back to the highly addictive prescriptions that Vioxx and other nsaids were designed to replace.
Vioxx was a wonder drug, non-addictive, non-hallucinogenic, just felt normal with no pain. I don't think there was any pain that a 50mg Vioxx couldn't overcome. I swear you could have an arm blown off, take a Vioxx, and go to work the next day. The FDA, in my opinion, really fucked up. The opiate addiction, in this country, will end up killing many 1000x over of people that would have died from heart attacks from nsaids like Vioxx.
https://www.medicalerroraustralia.com/medical-disasters/10-worst-drug-recalls-in-history/
CHIEF