The diabetes drug, Avandia, may be more dangerous than was previously reported. According to CNN, a review of Avandia released last week by the FDA states that officials overseeing GlaxoSmithKline Plc’s RECORD study repeatedly submitted sloppy data and failed to follow up on reports of problems in patients — including reports of patient deaths.
Next week an FDA panel will debate a series of steps that could include removing Avandia from the market.
Avandia is used to control blood sugar levels in diabetics, but its usage has fallen since a study published in 2007 reported that it raised the risk of heart attacks and other heart problems. That study, a so-called meta-analysis of other studies involving Avandia, found a 43 percent increase in the risk of heart attacks for patients on Avandia compared with those on other medications.
