A group of Scottish doctors reportedly say that using a widely prescribed diabetes drug following warnings about its use amongst patients with heart problems has ‘no defence’ and should be ceased at once.
The drug, Avandia, came in for considerable media controversy last year, when a study linked it to a greatly increased risk of heart attack and death amongst diabetic patients.
The consultants, from the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde area, say that diabetics new to treatment should not be prescribed Avandia. GPs, the group said, must closely monitor patients to make sure any risk factors are uncovered. Consultants were understood to be ‘very uncomfortable’ with the ‘ongoing usage’ of the drug.
As many as 150,000 patients in the UK take Avandia, which is manufactured by pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmihKline .

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