Actos and Avandia, diabetes drugs also known as “TZDs” have been definitively linked to an increased risk of broken bones according to a new study from the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. This past summer an FDA panel of experts voted to put new warning labels on Avandia because of its link to heart problems.
Post-menopausal women over 50 were found to be most susceptible to bone fractures, with 71% of those who suffered fractures found to be taking Avandia or Actos. Men also experienced fractures while taking a TZD combined with a “loop diuretic” often prescribed to diabetes sufferers.
The FDA held a panel this week to decide on whether Avandia, a diabetes drug effective in lowering blood sugar levels, should be restricted or taken off the market entirely due to risks to heart health. The maker of Avandia, GlaxoSmithKlein, claims Avandia is safe and that evidence of the risks has been exaggerated pointing to its own RECORD study for support. However, many now say that the RECORD study was fundamentally flawed and would never have held water in the drug’s initial approval process. An FDA study indicates that seniors taking Avandia compared to seniors taking Actos (a comparable and competing drug) had significantly higher risks of heart attack, stroke, and fatality.
12 members of the panel voted to discontinue the distribution of Avandia, 10 voted that it should be distributed but its use curtailed with additional label warnings and possible sale restrictions, 7 voted for more label warnings alone, and 3 voted to continue sales with no changes. The FDA does not have to follow the recommendations of the panel and will reach a final decision in the near future.
Johnson & Johnson has recalled over 40 of its children’s Tylenol, Motrin, Zyrtec, and Benadryl brands. Other medicines contained either the wrong amounts of active ingredients while the inactive ingredients didn’t meet quality control standards. Over 40 customers had reported finding black “specks” in some medicines, but there is no information on what the black specks were. An investigation from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) found bacteria in some of the raw ingredients used at the Philadelphia manufacturing plant.
No serious health risks have been linked to the recalled medicines. The FDA advises parents to stop giving these medicines to their children as a precaution and replace them with a generic brand alternative. Generic brands have been unaffected by the recall.
The popular weight loss drug, Hydroxycut was recalled today. The FDA announced the recall after the product had been linked to several serious illnesses including liver failure, seizures, kidney failure, cardiac problems and other serious illnesses. There has been one reported death.
Many consumers were shocked today when they learned about the recall of the popular weight loss product. Consumers should discontinue taking Hydroxycut immediately. If you believe you are suffering from side effects related to Hydroxycut, contact your physician immediately.
If you are taking or have taken Hydroxycut and believe you were injured as a result, you should contact an attorney. You may be entitled to compensation for taking Hydroxycut and suffering bodily harm.
On May 21, 2007 the FDA released a warning concerning the type 2 diabetes drug Avandia. The FDA warned that clinical trials revealed patients using Avandia have shown an increased risk for heart attack and heart-related deaths. The FDA went on to warn that Avandia patients using Avandia for a short period, 6 months or less, may increase their risk of heart attack and other heart related events by 30-40 percent.
If you or someone you know experienced a heart attack or other heart related problems while taking Avandia, contact an attorney immediately. You may be able to take legal action against the manufacturer of Avandia, GlaxoSmithKline.
A Highland Park doctor has had his medical license suspended after he allegedly prescribed 20,000 doses of OxyContin and other painkillers to his patients, which led to at least two deaths. Three of Dr. Gerald Saul Kane’s patients are dead and at least two died from drug overdoses. It is believed that Kane prescribed large amounts of prescription medication to these patients over a short period of time.
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