Has the Avandia Controversy Scared Diabetics? (Pharmalot)

-FDA News

01/03/2008 - An analyst with Merrill Lynch believes the controversy over cardiovascular risks posed by GlaxoSmithKline’s Avandia may have caused diabetics and their doctors to avoid treatment altogether, Ed Silverman writes.

“We believe that scrutiny of Avandia may have harmed the U.S. diabetic population by scaring some patients off therapy,” analyst David Risinger said. “Avandia script declines have only been partially offset by increases in other oral diabetes medications.”

Rather than switch to other oral medications, patients seem to have been scared off drug therapy completely, Risinger said. Year-over-year growth for diabetes pill prescriptions went from 2 percent to 4 percent to a decline of the same magnitude, according to the blog.

“Although it is ‘in vogue’ for certain thought leaders and politicians to criticize drug safety, we believe these data highlight why it is critical for FDA to remind the public that all drugs carry benefits and risks, and risks should not be overemphasized to the detriment of patients,” Risinger said.