Food and Drug Administration say diabetes patients should not stop taking Avandia

Tue, 23 Feb 2010
According to diabetes news, the American Food and Drug Administration has warned patients not to stop taking diabetes drug Avandia . The warning came despite a Senate Finance Committee Investigation that has lasted for two years.

Controversy exploded surrounding Avandia following a May 2007 study in the New England Journal of Medicine . The article raised concerns that Avandia increased the risk of heart attack amongst users. Following this an FDA panel voted that Avandia did increase heart attack risk, but also voted to keep the drug on the market.

The finance committee report commented: "It can be argued that GSK had a duty to warn patients and the FDA of the Company's concerns. Instead, GSK executives attempted to intimidate independent physicians, focused on strategies to minimize or misrepresent findings that Avandia may increase cardiovascular risk, and sought ways to downplay findings that a competing drug might reduce cardiovascular risk."

Avandia will now be the subject of further reviews. Janet Woodcock of the FDA commented: "We feel that it is time for a thorough evaluation of all the cardiovascular risks with that drug."

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