Avandia: Know What You’re Facing from this Dangerous Drug

Prescription drug companies have become more aggressive each year as they buy advertising with television, radio and magazines to promote their medications. Suddenly, the average consumer is inundated with messages about the drugs available for a multitude of ailments from which they may (or may not) suffer.

The number of news reports that warn us against the dangerous side effects caused by many of these drugs is also increasing.

As one example, The New York Times published findings from studies on the diabetes drug Avandia and cautioned against using this GlaxoSmithKline medication. The article referred to a report published in the New England Journal of Medicine and stated: “Avandia increases the risks of heart attacks by as much as 40 percent in most patients”.

What is Avandia?

Avandia is a medication used to treat Type 2 diabetes, also called Adult Onset Diabetes. It received FDA approval in 1999 for managing blood sugar levels. By 2006 it was being prescribed for more than 13 million diabetics. In 2008 the mass media printed articles about its side effects, which reduced the number of people taking it by about 60 percent.

Avandia Complications

• Liver Failure -- In 2008, a consumer advocacy group petitioned the Food & Drug Administration to remove Avandia from the market after identifying 14 cases of liver failure, including 12 deaths.
• Heart Problems -- In 2007, a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that patients taking Avandia had a 43-percent higher risk of heart attack.
• Vision Problems – Compared to older diabetes drugs, Avandia caused 39 times more reports of macular edema (swelling of the eye’s retina). This causes blurry or distorted vision.
• Bone Problems -- A 2008 Swiss study indicated a higher risk of bone fractures among patients taking Avandia for 12 to 18 months. It was highest for those who had taken it for two years or more.

Prescription Drug Companies vs. Consumer Rights Advocates

Legal action has been taken against GlaxoSmithKline based upon the myriad indications that neglect and misinformation took place on their part. For example, a hearing in 2007 revealed that GlaxoSmithKline and the FDA knew about the heart attack risk as early as 2005. Also, in 2006, the FDA and GlaxoSmithKline both stated that patients who had taken Avandia reported blurry vision.

Taking on a billion dollar industry is not something that an average consumer can manage. It requires a defective drug attorney’s extensive and up-to-date knowledge of the applicable laws and regulations and access to relevant documentation.