Avandia: Just How Low Can Greedy Drug Giants Stoop?
For years, we have been warning against the dangerous side effects linked to the type 2 diabetes drug Avandia… dubbed the ‘Killer Drug’ by some. Now, finally the mainstream appears to be catching on.
Avandia: Hit the road Jack!
In fact, we told our members about the link between Avandia and the risk of congestive heart failure as far back as 2003.
In 2007 the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) made headlines with a study that illustrates just how expansive this danger really is and how an increased risk of suffering a heart attack is only one part of Avandia’s risk profile.
Astonishingly, the drug stayed on the market despite the findings of a report in 2007 – published by the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) – that demonstrated it was killing around 19 per cent of patients, and was causing non-fatal heart problems in a further 8 per cent.
It’s clear that the FDA was aware of the side-effects and health dangers surrounding Avandia well before 2007. Back in 2005 they cautioned that “there have been reports of inflammation of the liver (hepatitis) and elevated liver enzymes”. Worse still, according to the FDA, the class of drugs that Avandia belongs to had been linked with “rare but serious liver injury, including liver failure leading to transplant or death.” And: “Avandia’s liver safety profile is not fully determined yet.”
These are only a few of the health risks associated with this drug. We’ve reported on many more and there is no doubt that this drug has caused much more harm than good.
Avandia: Back to the future
On 23 February 2010, US Senators Max Baucus and Charles Grassley released a 334 page report that reveals how GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) ““ the manufacturers of Avandia – intimidated doctors, saying: “GSK executives attempted to intimidate independent physicians, focused on strategies to minimize or misrepresent findings that Avandia may increase cardiovascular risk and sought ways to downplay findings that a competing drug might reduce cardiovascular risk.”
A separate letter sent to FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg by Senators Baucus and Grassley added, “… the totality of evidence suggests that GSK was aware of the possible cardiac risks associated with Avandia years before such evidence became public.”
Senators Baucus and Grassley accused the FDA of not having banned the drug because it is too ‘cosy’ with drugs firms like GSK.
Well if that doesn’t say it all!
The report also reveals some rather startling facts about the dangers of Avandia, including evidence from the FDA’s own scientists who concluded that Avandia was associated with 83,000 heart attacks.
83,000 heart attacks! Imagine if 19 per cent of them were fatal… you do the maths! It seems atrocious that this drug was allowed to stay on the market for almost a decade and none of the authorities responsible for protecting patients’ health did anything to stop it from being prescribed.
In Britain alone, more than 100,000 diabetes patients are being prescribed Avandia. Yet in light of this damning report and the clear health dangers posed by this drug, a spokesman for the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) – the UK equivalent of the FDA – said: ‘We look at any new data that comes to light about a medicine and can update the product information if necessary.’ As a final reassurance the MHRA said it will be ‘continuously monitoring’ the safety of Avandia.
That’s NOT good enough. Almost a decade’s worth of studies and proof of cover-ups by the manufacturers and regulators alike is enough testimony for us that Avandia should be withdrawn.
If you are a type 2 diabetes sufferer and you have been prescribed Avandia talk to your doctor or health care provider about switching to a safer alternative.
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Sources:
“˜Diabetes sufferers warned that widely-used drug Avandia can cause heart disease and death’ by Daniel Martin, published online 22.02.10, dailymail.co.uk
“˜GlaxoSmithKline deliberately hid evidence of Avandia harm, says Senate report’ by Mike Adams, published online 23.02.10, doomdaily.com
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generic avandia Therefore, Avandia should not be used in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus or for the treatment of diabetic ketoacidosis. • The coadministration of Avandia and insulin is not recommended. • The use of Avandia with nitrates is not recommended
Hi there – I feel so strongly about these drugs, statins the worst that gain publicity as wonder drugs. I never felt ill in my life and never had to live on pills, dropped two kids, the first being 10lbs with no problem. Since being diagnosed diabetes II by accident really in 1998, without a proper ‘starvation’ test – I went to doc. to arrange physiotherapy on my knee ! – I have felt ill ever since, worn out and tired even when I wake up! I was put on statins and aspirin way back I think it was 1998/99 and could see my forearms and wrists shrinking whilst losing all the strength in them – now have to wear my watch half way up my arm – also for no reason I would fall flat on my face, thought it was my expensive shoes, and gave them away, but still kept falling – yes avandia was the first drug I had, then avorstation and two others. Finally having had heart and lung test at the hospital last year aged 79, doc giving no particular reason except no managing my diabetes very well – when specialist scared me to death over risk of heart attack cholesterol, blood pressure etc, all very bad – only to be told by my GP my heart was perfectly ok, also blood pressure ok, cholesterol at 6 mol not good for a diabetic – gave me more statins against my protests, he said they had been improved a lot since I first had them this one fluorstatin made me feel just as ill. So now take only the aspirin (papers say no good for you) and the four per day metformin. Still get hefty chest pains, shoulders and back pain which sometimes makes walking painful, even short distances and out of breath – all I thought symptoms of heart trouble???!! Never been a pill popper in my life, also now take Glimeperide, so take a total of 6 pills a day – quite ridiculous.
Thank goodness for your organisation that sounds the alarm ! I gather from the Diabetes research that they “have not got their heads around” diabetes II. I am pretty sure doctors experiment with these new drugs on elderly people like myself. BUT you are stuck between wanting to live without drugs and live longer (if you do not succumb to the dozens of side effects ) or just go it alone without drugs but with more excercise and careful diet ! When someone produces a well tested drug to take away the continuous abject tiredness, when you just do not want to do anything ! – the maybe I will go back to my GP and get a prescription….
Long may you succeed in exposing these drugs –
kind regards,
Mrs P Stephenson, Sidcup, Kent.