Consumer Group Want FDA To Ban Avandia Diabetes Drug
October 31st, 2008 | by admin |
A consumer group operating in the U.S. is pushing the FDA to initiate a ban on GlaxoSmithKline’s Avandia due to severe risk of liver failure and death.
The group, Public Citizen cites more than 12 cases of severe liver failure and death, but Glaxo says that their own independent panel finds the drug safe.
The group also cited unpublished studies owned by the FDA proving that the drug promotes liver damage in patients taking it.
“The evidence for this unique combination of toxicities is compounded by the accompanying lack of evidence of any clinical benefit, compared to other approved drugs for diabetes,” the petition said.
In a statement released by GSK they say: “We do not believe there is a connection between liver toxicity and this medicine.”
Avandia is the name of a drug belonging to a class of drugs called glitazones and is used to treat diabetes.
