Maker of Dangerous Diabetes Drug Avandia Settles Injury Suits

Virginia (VA) Dangerous Drug Injury Lawyers
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Dangerous Drugs & Devices/Product Recalls

6/4/2010
Emily Mapp Brannon
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Maker of Dangerous Diabetes Drug Avandia Settles Injury Suits

GlaxoSmithKline announced on June 2, 2010, that it settled the first civil lawsuit brought by a diabetes sufferer who claimed he had a heart attack after taking Avandia (rosiglitazone). The drugmaker acknowledged that it still faced hundreds of lawsuits in U.S. federal courts despite widespread reports circulated in May that it had settled a group of other Avandia liability suits.

My colleagues and I have written several times about the growing evidence of the health risks taking Avandia poses to patients already facing serious, lifelong health problems. Avandia use has been linked to signifcant increases in heart attacks, cardiovascular disease, bone fractures and liver damage. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has required GSK to add strict warnings to Avandia's label about the potential for severe side effects, and the agency scheduled an advisory committee meeting for this July to consider whether Avandia should remain on the U.S. market.

Regardless of the panel's and, ultimately, the FDA's, decision, the millions of people with diabetes who have and may take Avandia do appear to be at risk from the very medication prescribed to help them. While no drug is 100 percent safe for all users at all times, drugmakers and regulators need to act to protect patients when drugs start harming large numbers of users. Offering monetary settlements is one response, but more decisive action might be called for.

EJL

Labels: Avandia drugs Emily Mapp Brannon failure to warn FDA fractures GlaxoSmithKline GSK heart attack injury lawyer medications settlement side effects

About the Editors: Shapiro, Lewis & Appleton is a Virginia injury law firm whose attorneys focus on personal injury and accident law and have experience handling cases fo victims of dangerous drugs and prescription drug errors. Check out our dangerous drug information page to learn more about side effects and recalls. We have offices in Virginia Beach and Hampton, VA, but we're ready to come to you anywhere in Virginia, including Norfolk, Chesapeake, Newport News, Portsmouth and Suffolk if you've been seriously hurt by someone else's carelessness.

Our firm has been recognized as one of the best injury law firms in Virginia by U.S. News & World Report since 2010. Rick Shapiro and James Lewis have been named to the National Million Dollar Advocates Forum since 2009 and have been recognized as the Best Lawyers in America since 2008. Shapiro and Lewis were also named Virginia Super Lawyers for Personal Injury Law since 2010. Fewer than 5 percent of practicing lawyers are chosen to receive this honor.

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Maker of Dangerous Diabetes Drug Avandia Settles Injury Suits

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