FDA's Avandia Committee Riddled with Conflicted Docs

Bloomberg News yesterday ran a long story on the six conflict-of-interest waivers granted to members of the upcoming Food and Drug Administration advisory committee that will consider the cardiovascular risks associated with Avandia, GlaxoSmithKline's diabetest drug that was in the news yesterday when an Agency for Health Care Research and Quality study showed that generic metformin was better than pricier drugs like Avandia and Actos for lowering blood sugar levels. It's not just a cost question. Avandia's most prominent side effect is water retention and weight gain, which can lead to all kinds of complications for diabetics.

The blogosphere that covers the pharmaceutical industry jumped on the story, which prominently featured a quote from me (modesty prohibited me from blogging on it myself). So, if you want to read more, you can at Pharmagossip and Health Care Renewal.