A recent study by the Canadian Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences (ICES) has increased concerns about Avandia and drugs in its class that are used to treat type 2 diabetes. The study showed patients treated with glitazones had a 60 percent higher risk of heart failure requiring hospitalization compared to patients given another class of diabetes pill. These patients had a 40 percent higher risk of heart attack, and a 30 percent higher risk of dying compared to those on the other drugs. The study was conducted by analyzing data for 160,000 diabetics aged 65 and older from the Ontario Drug Benefit (ODB) database.
The data represents the most comprehensive figures in the study of Avandia’s effects and it raises questions as to why this dangerous drug is still on the market. In human terms, the figures mean that for every 100 patients taking the drugs for the four years covered by the study, there were three additional cases of heart failure, four additional heart attacks, and five premature deaths whose cause might be attributed to the drug. Although Health Canada withdrew approval of the drug for all but patients who could not tolerate other diabetes drugs early in November, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has been reluctant to do so, although it did put a black-box warning on the drug.
If the FDA will not protect us from dangerous drugs, who will? If you have been injured by a dangerous pharmaceutical, you cannot undo the damage, but you can make sure your continuing expenses are covered and diminish the profit of those who did you harm. Consult a Phoenix, Arizona-area defective drug lawyer at the firm of Snyder & Wenner, P.C. today to find out what options are open to you.
