Promise and Peril: ‘Traces Thursday’ Examines the Surprising Story of Pain Relief Drugs

Latest in Stand Up for Science’s series on scientific patience explores the long history of aspirin and importance of detecting unintended harms.

WASHINGTON, DC, UNITED STATES, October 1, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Today, Stand Up for Science released the sixth installment of “Traces Thursday,” an ongoing series exploring how landmark medical therapies emerge from decades or even centuries of foundational scientific research. This week’s story, “Pain Control,” traces the fascinating and cautionary history of modern pain relief, from the development of aspirin to the rise and fall of the blockbuster drug Vioxx.

Willow bark has been used for its pain- and fever-reducing properties for thousands of years. In 1897, scientists first synthesized acetylsalicylic acid, or aspirin, derived from willow bark’s active ingredient. Decades later, research showed that aspirin works by blocking an enzyme involved in producing signaling molecules that contribute to pain, inflammation, and blood clotting, making it effective in preventing cardiovascular events. However, research also showed that aspirin can cause stomach irritation and bleeding.

Additional research led to a new generation of drugs for treating pain without the gastric side effects, including rofecoxib, marketed as Vioxx by Merck, which the FDA approved in 1999. Vioxx became enormously successful before evidence of serious risks ultimately led to its withdrawal in 2004.

The case study illustrates a central lesson of drug development: scientific progress does not end when a treatment reaches the pharmacy. Understanding how medicines work, carefully monitoring their effects in clinical trials, and continuing to evaluate safety after their approval are all essential to protecting patients.

“The history of aspirin and rofecoxib illustrates both the extraordinary benefits that can emerge from scientific discovery and the responsibility to continually test our assumptions about how medicines work and how safe they are,” said Dr. Jeremy Berg, author of the Traces Thursday series and former director of the National Institute of General Medical Sciences at NIH and former Editor-in-Chief of Science magazine, now a member of the Board of Advisors with Stand Up for Science.

This case study is the sixth of a planned twelve-part series. Each week, Berg examines a historical example of a major development in disease treatment to illustrate an unseen pattern: the decades or centuries of foundational research that precede any visible medical breakthrough or benefit, and the scientific, regulatory, and practical challenges that can follow it.

Amid ongoing debate over federal science funding, “Traces Thursday” underscores the importance of sustained investment in basic and biomedical research. The medical advances explored throughout the series all depend on research that unfolds over periods of time far longer than a single grant cycle or presidential administration.

Stand Up for Science will continue publishing “Traces Thursday” on the Science Fight Club Substack each Thursday.

Berg is available for comment.

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Stand Up for Science is a grassroots, Washington, D.C. based, non-profit organization mobilizing the fight for science and democracy. Stand Up for Science was formed in February 2025 in response to actions affecting federal science agencies and funding of the American scientific ecosystem. On March 7th, Stand Up for Science mobilized over 50,000 people at 170+ events across the world on its first National Day of Action. Federal scientists across multiple agencies (NIH, EPA, NASA, FEMA) have chosen Stand Up for Science as the platform to publish their open letters of concern. Stand Up for Science is a 501(c)(4) non-profit organization [EIN: 33-4154429] and donations are not tax-deductible.

Char Bowling
Stand Up for Science
media@standupforscience.net

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