While many prescription drugs have proven effective in the conditions they are meant to treat, they may also run the risk of serious side effects. The potential risks of these side effects could end up outweighing the benefits if they result in injuries to the consumer. Avandia is the latest prescription drug to raise such concerns.
Consumers rely upon the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) to inform them of any recalls or risks from taking prescription drugs. Patients rely upon their doctors to make sure that the medications they prescribe are safe. Unfortunately, injuries from dangerous prescription drugs still happen and when they do, legal counsel should be sought.
A Chicago product liability attorney can help sort out the facts in your case to determine if you have been injured because of a dangerous prescription drug. Not only can the manufacturer of a prescription drug be found liable for injuries but so can healthcare providers who are aware of the risks of a prescription drug but fail to inform the patient.
Overview of Avandia
The makers of Avandia, GlaxoSmithKline, produced this prescription drug to help control blood sugar levels for diabetics. It is available in a tablet formula and is generically known as rosiglitazone. It is also sold under the brand names of Avandaryl and Avandamet.
While it has been proven to help manage diabetes, Avandia has also been shown to produce serious side effects.
Safety of Avandia is QuestionedThe safety of Avandia was first questioned in 2008. A study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine revealed that in comparison to another prescription drug designed to manage diabetes, Actos, there was a 15% increased risk of death from taking Avandia.
In addition, the comparison between the 2 drugs also revealed that there was a 13% increased risk of heart failure for patients who took Avandia. This study was conducted over a 5-year period, between 2000 and 2005, with more than 28,000 patients who were taking either Actos or Avandia.
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