Avandia, a Drug for Diabetes, Another Vioxx? By Levine & Slavit PLLC on May 22, 2007

Reminiscent of Vioxx, which Merck pulled off the market in 2004 after it was shown to cause heart attacks in some patients, an analysis to be published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that Avandia, a widely used pill to treat adult-onset, or Type 2, diabetes, raises the risk of heart attack by 43 percent. Over a seven-year period, taking Avendia raises the chance of a diabetic having a heart attack from 20.2 to 28.8 percent, meaning that possibly tens of thousands of people had heart attacks as a result of taking the medication. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has advised that patients not discontinue taking Avandia on their own, but that they first discuss the situation with their doctor. Of particular concern is that for six months the F.D.A. has known of the increased cardiac risk, which was reported in an analysis submitted to it by the manufacturer of Avandia, GlaxoSmithKline. Questions have been raised as to why diabetics and their doctors have not already been notified of Avandia's substantial risk to the heart, and as to whether the finding further highlights flaws in the nation's drug approval and monitoring system. GlaxoSmithKline, in a news release, defended Avandia's safety and its medical benefits, contending that the New England Journal of Medicine article was based on incomplete evidence. Avandia is known generically as rosiglitazone. Another alternative to Avandia is a medication called Actos, which works by a similar mechanism to Avandia and has been shown to have a superior cardiovascular risk profile. Whether there will be a flux of lawsuits by attorneys in New York and elsewhere to recover for injuries allegedly caused by Avandia remains to be seen. If you believe that you have been harmed by a dangerous drug, please contact our office to speak with a personal injury attorney who will try to help. The personal injury lawyers at Levine & Slavit have decades of experience in handling personal injury claims involving dangerous and defective products . If you or someone close to you has been injured by a drug that was not properly labeled, contact the offices of Levine & Slavit in for their help. Levine & Slavit has offices in Manhattan and Long Island, handling cases in New York City, the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens and surrounding areas including Westchester County.

Related to This

Levine & Slavit, PLLC Logo

Levine & Slavit, PLLC

The law firm of Levine & Slavit, PLLC has served clients in Long Island and the Greater New York City-area since 1957. We are a team of personal injury and wrongful death lawyers who work tirelessly for victims' rights. Our team is licensed and affiliated with the:

  • New York State Bar Association
  • New Jersey Board of Bar Examiners
  • Florida Board of Bar Examiners
  • U.S. District Court Eastern District of New York
  • U.S. District Court Southern District of New York

Please contact our practice online for a free consultation or call (212) 687-2777 to speak to an attorney today. 

Contact Us Today

Rate, Review & Explore

Social Accounts Sprite
Google map image of our location in 60 E 42nd St Ste 2101 New York, NY

Manhattan Office

60 E 42nd St
Ste 2101
New York, NY 10165

Open Today 9:00am - 5:00pm

By Appointment Only

Google map image of our location in 350 Willis Ave Ste 100 Long Island, NY

Mineola Office

350 Willis Ave
Ste 100
Long Island, NY 11501

Open Today 9:00am - 5:00pm

By Appointment Only

(212) 687-2777 Send a message