FDA Pulls Avandia from Shelves

Last month, the United States Food and Drug Administration announced that starting in November 2011 the diabetes drug Avandia would no longer be sold at retail pharmacies. This is because the controversial drug poses an increased risk of cardiovascular issues to its patients. For those who have safely used the drug in the past, they can enroll in the Avandia-Rosiglitazone Medicines Access Program in order to continue their prescription, so long as they have shown no success in controlling their blood sugar with other diabetes medications or they have been informed of the risks and still choose to take Avandia.

Avandia is made with the drug Rosiglitazone, which can be found in Avandamet and Avandaryl as well. Both these drugs will be pulled off the market also. The parent company of these drugs, GlaxoSmithKline, plans on informing pharmacists and doctors about the new access protocols over the next couple months, and encourages patients to begin discussing changes to their diabetes treatments with their doctors.

The limitations to the use of Avandia and rosiglitazone in general have been long coming. According to studies, more than 23 million Americans have type 2 diabetes. In a 2007 trial of the drug, almost 40 percent of people showed an increased risk of heart attack. These findings were not found in such high levels, and today almost half a million Americans fill prescriptions with rosiglitazone. This number is dropping, though, and only expected to drop more as the regulations come into place.

For patients that use Avandia, safer alternatives such as Actos are being pursued by some doctors, and it is possible Avandia will eventually be pushed out of the market. If you have been using Avandia to control your diabetes for many years, talk to your doctor about your options in this matter.

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