The FDA meeting on this should be quite interesting. The acceptable or desirable level of risk-benefit has been debated for years, and varies with time (and with public perception.)
The cost of brand name drugs is also an issue these days, as drugs like ibuprofen and aspirin are much cheaper than Celebrex or Vioxx. Health care costs might be much lower initially if they threw every expensive drug out the window, but if the drugs prevent long term hospitalization, or allow people to function at their best, the cost would be worth it.
The general public (and their doctors) need some clear guidance on the issue to determine what the best practice should be. The lawsuits just pour gas on the flames, and provide more heat than light (in my opinion.)
Aren't there toxicity tests out there that would indicate these sorts of problems before a company spends hundreds of millions of dollars on clinical trials? Unfortunately, a drug's benefit may be intrinsically linked to what can become a bad side effect in a few people, and it can be difficult to discover every problem in advance.
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