A Danish study revealed that Voltaren, a widely used pain killer and an anti-inflammatory analgesic in Australia, increases the risk of strokes. The study was conducted by researchers from Gentofte University Hospital, taking them eight years to reach these results.

As a result, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) and the Australian Health Regulators announced on Tuesday that they would put Voltaren, as well as any other drug containing diclofenac and ibuprofen, under observation, with chances that these drugs might be withdrawn from the market.

The study included data from 2.5 million Danes showing that the risk rate reached 86%. The study also showed that the majority of the users never thought about being in danger for using diclofenac.

Professor David Henry, a Clinical Pharmacologist and the Chief Executive of the Toronto-based Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences and Adjunct Professor at the University of Newcastle in New South Wales, advised that the people should not use Voltaren anymore, because according to him, the drug is getting old.

He said, "It is an old drug, it's turned out to be toxic. There are safer alternatives. There's no reason to have it on the market, whether it's prescription or over the counter".

Professor Henry also recommended that the drug should be banned.