Pharmaceutical marketer Pfizer has resumed advertising for its controversial painkiller Celebrex, whose ads were pulled in December 2004 after charges that the drug could cause heart attacks. The
difference is that now the print ads come with a boldface warning that begins, "Important Information: Celebrex may increase the chance of a heart attack or stroke that can lead to death." The
company's goal is to revive sales of the drug, which plummeted after the ads were initially pulled. But the move is coming under fire from consumer groups who claim that Celebrex is dangerous and
should be pulled off the market. "There's no objective evidence of any unique benefit with this drug, and there is objective evidence of a unique risk," said Dr. Sidney Wolfe, a frequent critic of
drug makers and the director of health research for the consumer advocacy group Public Citizen. Before the advertising moratorium, Pfizer spent $117 million promoting Celebrex, and its 2004 sales
reached $3.3 billion worldwide. In 2005, during the ad moratorium, sales plunged to $1.7 billion. Pfizer says that all painkillers carry some risk and that its new ads disclose Celebrex's potential
dangers. "Celebrex has proven to be an important option for many patients," said Andrew McCormick, a Pfizer spokesman. The Food and Drug Administration has reviewed the new campaign, Mr. McCormick
said. Pfizer has not yet decided whether it will expand the campaign to television.
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