Diabetes medication Avandia is under fire for its potential relationship to an increase in heart problems and strokes for those who take it. One study involving 35,500 participants revealed Avandia to increase one’s chances of having a heart attack from 28 to 39%, and a second study involving over 227,500 Medicare patients revealed that the drug "boosts the risk for strokes, heart failure and death" by 27%, 25% and 14% respectfully, according to a Washington Post article. The research should prompt the FDA to pull the drug off the market, however opinions differ on whether the FDA will do so once it has looked at all the data.
Avandia, which is used to treat Type 2 diabetes, was approved in 1999. It had at one time been one of the world’s most profitable drugs, bringing in $3 billion in sales, and was initially considered extremely effective. When questions arose regarding the safety of the drug and its effects on the heart, sales took a considerable nosedive, yet the drug remained on the market.
The company that makes Avandia, GlaxoSmithKline, has released a statement standing by its drug. It supports its statement with other "more reliable" studies that have produced no evidence to show that the drug is unsafe. The company claims the other studies were "better designed." A Congressional investigation into the matter earlier this year found that GlaxoSmithKline knew about the potential harmful effects of Avandia for years, but failed to give proper notice to the FDA and proper warning to consumers. The new research data will be considered next month at an FDA panel to reassess Avandia’s status.
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