According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the diabetes drug, Avandia, will be pulled from pharmacy shelves beginning in November. Avandia, which is the trade name for the drug rosiglitazone, was approved for use in 1999 as a means to decrease blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes. According to an analysis report published in 2007, use of the drug showed an increased the risk of heart attack by about 40 percent in type 2 diabetes patients, who are already predisposed to cardiovascular issues because of the disease.
The new Avandia-Rosiglitazone rules, which take effect November 18, stipulate that only certified doctors can prescribe the drug, and only qualified patients enrolled in a special program, who are made aware of the risks and are filling prescriptions via mail order through specific pharmacies may receive the drug.
