Avandia® Harms the Heart, Studies Find

Food and Drug Administration (FDA) officials are recommending that Avandia®, a popular yet controversial diabetes drug, be pulled from the market due to its potential harm to the heart – this according to a New York Times report.

“Hundreds of people taking Avandia, a controversial diabetes medicine, needlessly suffer heart attacks and heart failure each month, according to confidential government reports that recommend the drug be removed from the market (02/19/2010).”

PLEASE NOTE: Patients should continue taking Avandia® unless told by their healthcare professional to stop. Patients who are concerned about the possible risks associated with using Avandia® should talk to their healthcare professional.

FDA Report: Take Avandia® Off the Market

Agency reports suggest that if every diabetic currently taking Avandia® switched Actos, a similar pill, about 500 heart attacks and 300 cases of hear failure would be averted each month.

The Avandia® controversy has been brewing for years but has been brought to a head by a new clinical trial and a Senate investigation that concluded Avandia®’s maker, GlaxoSmithKline, should have warned patients earlier of the drug’s potential risks.

“The bipartisan multiyear Senate investigation sharply criticizes GlaxoSmithKline, saying it failed to warn patients years earlier that Avandia was potentially deadly (Source).”

Avandia® Health Concerns Nothing New

Possible Avandia® health risks surfaced in 2007 when Cleveland Clinic cardiologist Steve Nissen published a study in the New England Journal of Medicine that found Avandia® users were at a 43% higher risk of cardiovascular events. GlaxoSmithKline publicly denounced the findings, but internal emails since released and included as part of the Senate Finance Committee report indicate that company scientists felt the company’s own numbers were similar to Dr. Nissen’s.

“The company has faced criticism that it has known about the heart-attack risks associated with Avandia for years. Glaxo added a “black box” warning to Avandia in November 2007 that says the drug can cause or exacerbate congestive heart failure.

The company has also faced accusations that it attempted to intimidate scientists and doctors outside the company who raised questions about the safety of Avandia. The company has said that it didn’t try to intimidate anyone. (The Wall Street Journal:2/22/2010)”

Contact an Avandia® Attorney

The law office of Frank M. Eidson, P.A., is currently investigating claims involving the controversial diabetes drug Avandia®.

To speak with an attorney – one familiar with Avandia® side effects – contact our lawyers today and schedule a free consultation and evaluation of your claim.

**This site contains general information that is intended to be accurate and up to date. It is not intended to provide legal advice. For legal advice, please personally consult with an experienced attorney.**