IN THE red corner, big drug companies hell-bent on profit regardless of the consequences. In the blue corner, plucky safety regulators and scientists determined to uncover the truth about the drugs the companies are selling.
If you believe everything you read, this is probably your view of the controversy over the safety of painkilling drugs like Vioxx. Known as Cox-2 inhibitors, these drugs were designed to bring relief to millions of arthritis sufferers around the world. Now they stand accused of increasing the risk of heart disease and stroke. And since Merck, the maker of Vioxx, voluntarily withdrew it last…
