Glaxo funded backers of 'danger' drug

[Newsjock]

Source: The Independent (UK)

More than nine out of 10 scientists who backed a drug at the centre of a safety scare had financial links to the pharmaceutical industry, a study has found.

The disclosure will renew concern about the influence of the multinational companies on patient safety, where a warning about a drug can wipe billions from their balance sheets.

The pharmaceutical industry has become adept at manipulating results and selectively withholding unfavourable data that could expose patients to harm. Now it is accused of skewing the debate over one drug, Avandia, prescribed to millions of people around the world with Type 2 diabetes. Avandia, made by the British multinational GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), which helps diabetics control their blood sugar levels, was linked with an increased risk of heart attacks in research published in 2007.

... In the US, internal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) documents leaked to The New York Times last month said 500 heart attacks a month could be avoided in the US if patients on Avandia were switched to a rival drug. A separate investigation by a cross-party US Senate committee was sharply critical of GSK, saying it failed to warn patients of the heart risks earlier. It also said GSK executives had "attempted to intimidate independent physicians".

Read more: http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/health-news/glaxo-funded-backers-of-danger-drug-1923852.html

[OhioChick]

1. K&R n/t

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

2. why am I not surprised?

corrupt system.

[sakabatou]

4. Of course

[Jennicut]

3. Diabetics seem to be guinea pigs for big pharma. I was once on this stuff called Byetta.

Worst stuff ever. Made me throw up every time I injected it. It as not insulin, it was for lowering blood sugar by injecting an enzyme found in lizard spit (I'm not kidding). Horrible stuff. I tried for a week, never again. Plus, Lantus insulin may or may have some correlation with cancer because it promotes cell growth and if the cancer is there, it can make it worse.
Avandia was a disaster. It was supposed to increase insulin sensitivity, as in type 2 diabetics your cells won't use insulin properly and sugar builds up in your blood leading to diabetes. Then it was shown it had horrible side effects. Oh well. Diabetics are big business for big pharma: http://www.minyanville.com/businessmarkets/articles/diabetes-pharma-idf-eli-lilly-amylin/11/13/2009/id/25443