Approximately one million Americans currently take Avandia for the treatment of Type 2 diabetes. Patients with Type 2 diabetes exhibit high levels of sugar in the blood as a result of a failure to respond to insulin, a hormone released by the pancreas that helps glucose move into the cells where it can be used for energy.
The FDA’s primary medical reviewer questioned Avandia’s safety prior to FDA approval. After nearly a decade of use and many studies related to the cardiac risk related to Avandia, the debate still continues. In July 2007, the FDA’s internal agency advisory committee is scheduled to further investigate new data on the risk of heart attack in patients taking Avandia. The FDA advisory panels job is to provide doctors and patients with the guidance they need to make informed decisions.
In the June 14, 2007 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, Dr. Steven Nissen and his colleague Kathy Wolski, evaluated 42 studies that compared patients taking Avandia with patients not using the drug. The studies included nearly 28,000 patients, 15,560 of whom were taking Avandia. The researchers found the risk of a heart attack was increased 43 percent among those taking Avandia. There is also a 64 percent increased risk of dying from cardiovascular causes while taking the drug.
Pharmaceutical Litigation Attorneys at Bailey & Galyen have extensive experience in cases involving injury or wrongful death associated with prescription drugs. Contact us to set an appointment with an attorney to discuss your case.
