NEW YORK, May 10 -- In response to media inquiries, Pfizer today issued the following statement:

As previously communicated, Pfizer has suspended sales of Bextra (valdecoxib) pending further discussions with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Pfizer continues to believe that Bextra could be an important treatment option for certain patient populations. In the future, the company plans to discuss options with the FDA under which Bextra might be made available to those patients.

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