Vioxx, a widely prescribed arthritis drug, has been taken off the market following the results of a three-year study linking use of the drug to higher incidence of heart attack and stroke.

Vioxx is one of a class of anti-inflammatory drugs strenuously marketed as being more effective, with fewer side effects than other, older drugs, including such over-the-counter medications as ibuprofen.

An independent healthcare analyst, Herman Shah of HKS & Co. in Warren, New Jersey, notes that Vioxx and other drugs in the class have not proven to be the breakthrough cure-all for pain they were advertised to be.

In fact, he says, physicians prefer ibuprofen for pain relief to Vioxx and Celebrex combined, and for patients, the cost of the over-the-counter medication is 10 to 15 times less than that of the prescription drugs.

Merck & Co., the maker of Vioxx launched the drug in the U.S. in 1999, and has had nearly $2.5 billion in sales of the drug in 2003.

If you or someone you know has suffered serious side effects or injury that you believe may be related to your usage of Vioxx, you may be eligible to file a claim.