Avandia Under FDA Scanner

February 20th, 2010 - 8:44 pm ICT by GD  

By Ranjan Bhaduri
avandiaFeb 20, (THAINDIAN NEWS) It is not uncommon to see widely used and popular medicines causing side effects to the users and getting banned. The latest drug to join this bandwagon is Avandia, a popular product of pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline. It is sold in many nations and thousands of users take it to get relief from type 2 diabetes. However, recent studies suggest that it has components that can have adverse effects on the heart and can also lead to the death in some cases. The FDA has suggested that it should be taken out of market to prevent deaths and cardiac arrests in Diabetes patients.

However, the company has not reacted nicely to these findings. It has said that the medicine is not harmful as it is being portrayed by some studies. However, a separate study carried out in Canada has also suggested that the medicine does possess harmful components. The aged diabetes patients can be more at risk if they take this product. It is a matter of concern, according to the researchers that its sale has still not been banned.

However, after the publication of such reports and allegations pointing finger at its adverse effects, the sales of the drug has taken a nosedive. In the last year, reportedly 304 deaths were caused by Avandia. This has forced the medical community to do a rethink on it. However, Glaxo is not willing to give in this fight easily. It has started a large scale clinical trial to prove that the drug is not that dangerous. The outcome of the trial is eagerly awaited.

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