Avandia, the diabetes drug that causes heart failure, has regularly been given to patients. . .with heart failure.
The practice is so common that one medical trial even focused on 224 patients with congestive heart failure who were taking the drug. Not surprisingly, it was a massacre. Five per cent died, 13 per cent reported a worsening of their condition, 33 per cent needed more heart medication, and 19 per cent ended up in hospital.
Despite the recent headline-grabbing news, it's always been known that Avandia causes heart failure. It's in the notes that doctors never read, and it's in the medical trials, that doctors also don't read. Instead, the doctors listen to the drug salesmen and prescribe away.
In the last few days, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has told Congress that it has demanded a 'black box' warning for the drug, which highlights the heart problems.
And, chances are, the doctors won't see that either.
Share this article:
del.icio.us |
Digg it |
ma.gnolia |
Newsvine |
Onlywire |
reddit |
Netscape |
StumbleUpon