Why are COX-2 drugs like Celebrex still prescription only ? Seems like it would theoretically be a lot safer to offer a medium low dose of it over the counter vs other NSAIDs
That being said I weirdly find Naproxen the most effective of all of these. Everyone is different though
"Why are COX-2 drugs like Celebrex still prescription only ?"
Why? Because Celebrex (celecoxib) is a dangerous drug which can cause irreparable harm (heart attacks and related) if taken for long periods. In fact, its sister drug Vioxx (rofecoxib) was banned and Merck had to pay billions in damages. There's more here: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47835635#47862704
Whilst Celebrex is safer than Vioxx it still has the same side effects profile as the latter.
I'd also recommended you watch the YouTube video in the link on Vioxx, it demonstrates the dangers of COX-2 drugs shouldn't be underestimated.
That being said I weirdly find Naproxen the most effective of all of these. Everyone is different though