Evidence suggests that GSK, the drug company which manufactures Avandia was aware of the possible heart attack risks associated with this dangerous drug years before evidence linking Avandia to such horrendous side effects became public. These were the findings of an investigation launched by the Senate Finance Committee.
The Committee’s report also states, “GSK executives intimidated independent physicians, focused on strategies to minimize findings that Avandia may increase cardiovascular risk, and sought ways to downplay findings that the rival drug ACTOS (pioglitazone) might reduce cardiovascular risk.”
This comes on the heels of the Food and Drug Administration revealing people now taking Avandia (a type-2 diabetes medication) switched to a similar medication, Actos, about 500 heart attacks and 300 cases of heart failure would be eliminated each month. The FDA event went so far as to recommend taking Avandia off the open market, according to marketwatch.com.
Think things can’t get any worse for GSK? Well, a report from the Institute for Safe Medication Practice linked Avandia to over 300 deaths in the third quarter of 2009, the highest for any medication in that specific time period, according to the New York Times.
The actual medical evidence is shocking, but the tactics taken by GSK are truly disturbing. The Senate Committee’s findings that GSK tried to intimidate physicians and researchers. What did they do? Well, two physicians at the University of Pennsylvania said calls were placed by GSK officials that were “highly unprofessional and had a chilling effect on their professional activity,” according to foodconsumer.org.
Here’s a video discussing the risks of Avandia and the efforts to conceal the side effects by GSK…
So what does all this mean to you? Well, all of this evidence continues to strengthen the assertion that Avandia is a dangerous drug and if you’re taking this drug or know someone who is taking this drug, seek immediate medical attention and legal representation.