Unfortunately, Celebrex, Bextra, Mobic, and Vioxx are all similar. I'm not surprised at the bad press Bextra and Celebrex are getting since Vioxx has been pulled. While the drugs aren't identical, their formulas are very similar, so it's only logical that the cardiac problems would extend to all of the drugs.

All that's left is other NSAID's like Motrin and Aleve (which is also getting bad press), or older arthritis drugs like Relafen and Lodine. Unfortunately, these drugs can damage the stomach when used over long periods of time. There isn't a clear answer for your father. Good luck.