Former Southern Miss. Running Back Claims Anti-Inflammatory Drugs Caused Career-Ending Injury

HATTIESBURG, Miss. - Former University of Southern Missississippi running back Derrick Nix recently filed suit against the manufacturers of Vioxx and Celebrex claiming that his use of the anti-inflammatory drugs caused him to sustain a career-ending kidney injury. Derrick Nix v. Pharmacia Corp., et al., No. CI-03-0073 (Miss. Cir. Ct., Forrest Cty.).

Nix claims in the April 2 complaint that prior to developing membranous glomerulonephritis, which has placed him on the kidney transplant list, he would have been assured a lucrative professional football career.

The suit accuses Pharmacia Corp., and Pfizer Inc., the manufacturers of Celebrex, Pharmacia sales representative Brian …