What is the largest prescription drug recall in history?
Asked by: Ian Wilderman | Last update: May 8, 2026Score: 4.8/5 (45 votes)
The largest prescription drug recall in history was the voluntary withdrawal of Vioxx (rofecoxib) by Merck in 2004, due to significantly increased risks of heart attacks and strokes, affecting over 20 million patients and leading to an estimated 140,000 heart attacks/strokes and billions in costs.
What is the largest medical recall in history?
Vioxx is one of the largest drug recalls in history. Vioxx was prescribed to more than 20 million people for arthritis but was responsible for increased risk of heart attack and stroke. Vioxx was recalled in 2004 after five years on the market.
What is the most serious drug recall?
These are some of the most significant and impactful drug recalls in history.
- Thalidomide, 1961. The first recall we're covering is perhaps the most transformative recall in FDA history. ...
- Diethylstilbestrol (DES), 1971. ...
- Bextra, 2005. ...
- Vioxx, 2004. ...
- Fen-Phen, 1997. ...
- What Should You Do After Suffering from a Drug's Side Effects?
What year was Vioxx taken off the market?
Some consider the voluntary removal of Vioxx from the market in September 2004 by its manufacturer, Merck, after studies revealed that it was linked to an increase in dangerous cardiovascular events such as strokes and heart attack, a huge loss of a valuable drug.
Who has the most recalls in history of all time?
A recall can affect many different vehicle models and model years. Our analysis only counts unique recalls for both make and model. Ford has had 3,086 unique recalls affect their vehicles making it the most recalled make of vehicle in the United States.
Most Dangerous Prescription Drug Recalls in History | Chinazaa
Who is the most sued pharmaceutical company?
5 Largest Pharmaceutical Lawsuits
- Cardinal Health, McKesson, AmerisourceBergen, Johnson & Johnson (2022) ...
- GlaxoSmithKline (2012) ...
- Pfizer (2009) ...
- Johnson & Johnson (2013) ...
- Abbott (2012) ...
- Call a Dangerous Drug Attorney at O'Connor, Acciani & Levy.
Did Rudy Giuliani help Purdue Pharma?
Giuliani was lead counsel and lead spokesmen for Purdue Pharma during their negotiations with federal prosecutors over charges that Purdue had misled the public about OxyContin's addictive properties. Purdue was a client of the firm Bracewell & Giuliani.
What is the oldest painkiller in the world?
The oldest painkillers involve natural substances like willow bark (for salicylates, the basis of aspirin) and opium from poppies, used for millennia by Sumerians, Egyptians, Greeks, and Chinese for fever, inflammation, and pain relief, with written records dating back to 4000 BCE for opium and 1500 BCE for willow bark, though Babylonians also had prescriptions around 2250 BCE.
How many ibuprofen equals one Celebrex?
Based on typical dosing: 100 mg Celebrex is considered equivalent to about 200-300 mg of ibuprofen. 200 mg Celebrex is considered equivalent to about 400-600 mg of ibuprofen.
What drug is the most damaging and widely used in the United States today?
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid drug approved by the FDA as an anesthetic and for pain relief. It is also one of the most abused and dangerous narcotics today.
What statin was recalled?
If you take cholesterol-lowering drugs called statins, you may have noticed a flurry of news coverage since late October 2025 about an extensive recall of thousands of bottles of atorvastatin, the generic version of Lipitor.
What are the five high risk drugs?
Five examples of high-risk medications, prone to causing significant patient harm if misused, include Opioids (like morphine, fentanyl), Insulin, Anticoagulants (like heparin, warfarin), Potassium Chloride (concentrated), and Chemotherapeutic agents, with errors often leading to overdose, bleeding, or severe blood sugar changes. Other high-risk categories involve Neuromuscular Blocking Agents, Parenteral Nutrition, and certain Anesthetics.
What was the biggest recall in US history?
Takata Airbag Recall (2008)
The Takata airbag defect became one of the largest and deadliest recalls in automotive history. It affected nearly 67 million vehicles in the U.S. and over 100 million worldwide. These airbags could explode when deployed, sending out sharp metal shrapnel.
What is the biggest lawsuit against Pfizer?
Pfizer's biggest lawsuit settlement was in 2009 for $2.3 billion, the largest healthcare fraud resolution in U.S. history at the time, resolving criminal and civil charges for illegally promoting drugs like Bextra, Geodon, Lyrica, and Zyvox, including off-label uses and paying kickbacks to doctors. This settlement involved a criminal fine, civil payments to states and the federal government, and a guilty plea from a Pfizer subsidiary for misbranding Bextra, setting a record for corporate fines.
Why is Coke being recalled?
Coca-Cola was recalled in late 2025 for a limited batch of cans (Coca-Cola, Coke Zero Sugar, Sprite) sold in Texas due to potential metal contamination, posing risks for temporary health issues, though the affected products were removed from shelves, with recalls also occurring earlier in 2025 for plastic contamination, notes CBS News and Fox Business.
Which drug is known as Queen of drugs?
Penicillin is an antibiotic widely used in the treatment of bacterial infections. Penicillin is called the ''Queen of medicines''.
What is the strongest painkiller of all time?
1. Carfentanil. Carfentanil is a synthetic drug 10,000 more powerful than morphine, and 100 times more potent than medical-grade fentanyl itself.
What plant is called a natural morphine?
Heroin is an opioid drug made from morphine, a natural substance taken from the seed pod of the various opium poppy plants grown in Southeast and Southwest Asia, Mexico, and Colombia. Heroin can be a white or brown powder, or a black sticky substance known as black tar heroin.
Who owns OxyContin now?
OxyContin was owned and manufactured by Purdue Pharma, a company controlled by the Sackler family, who developed and aggressively marketed the opioid drug, leading to widespread addiction and numerous lawsuits, culminating in Purdue's bankruptcy and a massive settlement agreement with the Sacklers in 2025.
Did any of the Sacklers go to jail?
While the Sackler family, owners of Purdue Pharma (makers of OxyContin), faced massive lawsuits, criminal charges, and huge settlements for their role in the opioid crisis, no Sackler family members have gone to prison (jail) for their actions related to OxyContin or Purdue Pharma's conduct, though they have paid billions in settlements and faced severe public backlash.
Where is Richard Sackler now?
Richard Sackler, former president of Purdue Pharma, reportedly lives near Austin, Texas, as of 2013, and remains involved with the family's charitable foundation, the Richard and Beth Sackler Foundation. He is a central figure in the opioid crisis, and while Purdue Pharma dissolved after bankruptcy, Sackler himself hasn't faced criminal charges, though the family agreed to pay billions in damages for addiction treatment.
Who is the richest drug company?
Key Takeaways:
- Eli Lilly is the largest pharma company in the world, with a market cap of $934.79 billion.
- Eli Lilly is followed by Johnson & Johnson ($488.74 billion), AbbVie ($388.43 billion), AstraZeneca ($281.86 billion), and Merck ($268.56 billion).
What company makes oxycodone?
Potential for abuse
Purdue Pharma manufactures pain medicines such as hydromorphone, oxycodone, fentanyl, codeine, and hydrocodone. It makes drugs such as MS Contin, OxyContin, and Ryzolt. In 1972, Contin (a controlled drug-release system) was developed.