Diabetes Drug Up for Safety Review
Wednesday, July 14th, 2010Federal Advisory panel will vote today on whether Avandia, a popular drug for Type 2 diabetes, is safe enough to stay on the market. Avandia is one of many diabetes medications like Metformin, Actos, Glucotrol, Byetta, and Januvia used to treat type 2 diabetes.
Conflicting study results from the drugs maker GlaxoSmithKline along with other problems due to feuding scientist have made it hard for reviewers to get a bead on what should be done about the diabetes medication.
According to the New York Times,
On Tuesday, panel members heard evidence that patients in a crucial trial of Avandia who suffered heart attacks did not have their problems included in the trial’s final tally. And internal company documents made public in recent days show that the company hid from the public crucial information about Avandia’s safety woes.
Some reviewers within the F.D.A. said Tuesday that studies demonstrate conclusively that Avandia is far more dangerous to the heart than a similar medicine, Actos, made by Takeda. But other reviewers said that the trials are far more equivocal and provide little evidence that Avandia is dangerous. Scientists at GlaxoSmithKline argued that Avandia is a safe and important option in the treatment of Type 2 diabetes.
I am surprised that the FDA has let this drag on as long as it has. Hopefully a decision will be made one way or the other so people can stop living in fear of there diabetes medication.
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