Vioxx Approved by FDA for Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis

Vioxx, Merck & Co. Inc.'s once-daily arthritis and pain medicine, has received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the relief of the signs and symptoms of the most common forms of Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis (pauciarticular or polyarticular) in children two years and older who weigh at least 22 pounds. The approval makes Vioxx the first and only COX-2 specific inhibitor approved for the treatment of JRA, based on clinical research that established safety and effectiveness in children as young as 2 years of age matching the aforementioned weight criteria. Read Merck's press release.