Nurofen makers dismiss stroke report

File photo / Martin Sykes

The manufacturers of the Nurofen have dismissed a report linking the pain killer to increased stroke risk.

The eight-year Danish study, which involved which involved more than 2.5 million healthy Danes, found there was a higher risk of stroke for those taking high doses of ibuprofen, which is in the painkiller Nurofen.

Reckitt Benckiser, who manufacture Nurofen, were aware of the report, but in a statement said "it is important to note that the conclusions drawn by the study authors are based on high doses of ibuprofen".

"The results of this study should not be confused with non-prescription low doses of NSAIDs, such as ibuprofen, which are available over-the-counter and used by millions of people around the world, for short periods of time, every day," it said.

Dr Phil Berry, the company's global medical director, said there was "no clinical evidence to suggest that consumers need to be concerned about their safety in relation to an increased risk of cardiovascular events when taking non-prescription ibuprofen products".

The findings were presented to the European Society of Cardiology 2010 Congress in Stockholm, Sweden by Dr Gunnar Gislason last month.

The study also claimed that using diclofenac, marketed in New Zealand as Voltaren, increases the chance of those not thought to be at risk of suffering strokes by 86 per cent.

It said care needed to be taken when patients were using non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, in particular rofecoxib and diclofenac.

The study recommended the over-the-counter sale of these drugs should be reassessed.

Neurologist and stroke expert Professor Valery Feigin yesterday told 3 News the painkillers should be banned.

"I would think these studies [would be] the last nail in the coffin for these types of medication," he said.

"I seriously would not recommend this medication to anyone."

A spokesman for Novartis, which makes Voltaren, sent out a statement which said the company was aware of the study but did not believe "it changes the benefit to risk assessment for diclofenac when used as directed".

"Diclofenac should be used at the lowest possible dose for the shortest duration of time, in keeping with advice provided to prescribers in the approved product information," said the statement.

"Novartis maintains a robust drug safety monitoring process for all its medicines, the data from which is shared with regulatory authorities on a regular basis. Novartis will continue to work with regulatory authorities to monitor and analyse research related to our medicines to ensure the information provided to both doctors and patients is consistent with current scientific knowledge."

Ministry of Health senior adviser Susan Kenyon told Radio New Zealand the risk was already well-known, and Medsafe recommendedt patients use the lowest effective dose of the drugs for the shortest possible time.

Dr Kenyon said Ministry data showed heart attacks, rather than strokes, were a more likely complication from diclofenac and ibuprofen use.

- with NZ Herald staff