EU BACKS CONTINUED SUSPENSION OF BEXTRA

Europe's drug agency, concluding a review of Cox-2 painkillers, said on Monday it recommended the continued suspension of Pfizer's Bextra drug. The London-based European Medicines Agency said it would review the suspension of Bextra, which was first suspended in Europe and the U.S. in April, within one year. The watchdog also reiterated its warnings about the cardiovascular risk associated with Cox-2 drugs and the rare serious skin reactions that they could cause.

CNN (http://money.cnn.com/2005/06/27/news/fortune500/pfizer_bextra.reut/)