Newly Uncovered Reports Indicate FDA Debate over Avandia Heating Up
Avandia, a popular drug used to treat Type 2 diabetes, has been linked to a higher risk of heart attack and heart failure than any other diabetes drug. The drug has recently made headlines due to the uncovering of confidential government reports, in which doctors from the Food and Drug Administration concluded that “Rosiglitazone [Avandia] should be removed from the market.”
The uncovered reports are part of an intense debate over whether the federal agency should withdraw Avandia from the market. The debate has also been fueled by disagreements over a new clinical trial on the risks of Avandia and a Senate investigation which concluded that Avandia’s manufacturer, GlaxoSmithKline, should have warned patients about its risks years earlier. As Senator Baucus, a Montana Democrat who oversaw the Senate advisory committee on Avandia stated, “Patients trust drug companies with their health and their lives, and GlaxoSmithKline abused that trust.”
At one time, Avandia was one of the biggest-selling drugs in the world, until the risks associated with taking it emerged in 2007. Hundreds of thousands of diabetics still use Avandia, although top endocrinologists have stopped prescribing it. Avandia was ranked first among all prescribed drugs for the number of resulting serious or fatal problems, including 304 deaths in just the third quarter of 2009.
Contact an Experienced Pharmaceutical Litigation Attorney
If you or a loved one has suffered a heart attack or been diagnosed with congestive heart failure after taking Avandia, please contact the Pintas firm immediately. Our law firm will provide you with a free no-obligation consultation and explain your legal rights. However, do not discontinue taking your medication unless you have checked with your physician first.