Some doctors are warning to carefully consider which painkiller you use, as new research suggests that Vioxx and Celebrex may delay healing of a broken bone. There is no proof yet that anti-inflammatory painkillers cause major bone problems, but some bone experts call the research compelling enough that doctors should explain the risk to patients. Merck and Pharmacia the makers Vioxx and Celebrex deny any link.

“It’s time to tell the public,” concludes Dr. Thomas Einhorn, Boston University’s orthopedic surgery chairman - who says he’d choose a mild narcotic over more common painkillers if he broke a leg.

Researchers discovered that an enzyme called cox-2, which causes pain and inflammation, also appears to play a crucial role in bone healing. Vioxx and Celebrex fight pain by blocking cox-2.

(via The Associated Press)