Top anti-diabetes drug to be pulled from shelves

A LEADING anti-diabetes medicine is to be pulled from pharmacy shelves after a European review of the drug concluded that it could pose an increased risk of heart attack and stroke.

The Irish Medicines Board (IMB) move follows a European Medicines Agency (EMA) recommendation that Avandia (also called Avandamet and Avaglim) be withdrawn from usage. The Irish Medicines Board has advised doctors not to issue any new or repeat prescriptions and asked patients to consult with their doctor about a review of treatment.

After analysing safety data, the EMA decided yesterday that “the risks of rosiglitazone-containing medicines outweighed their benefits”.