GSK faces call for Avandia withdrawal

6th Sep 2010 07:43

GlaxoSmithKline is facing a call to withdraw its diabetes drug Avandia in Britain because of heart risk concerns.UK regulator, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), ssays the risks of Avandia, known generically as rosiglitazone, outweighed its benefits and that "it no longer has a place on the UK market".The MHRA will state its objections to the European Medicines Agency (EMA) at a special meeting on the drug's future this week.Glaxo says its research shows Avandia is safe and effective when used appropriately and according to its labelling. The US Food and Drug Administration also makes its final decision on Avandia this month, but is expected to allow it to stay on the shelves after an advisory committee said it should continue but with different labelling that highlights the potential risks.The firm recently paid £1.57bn to settle a number of claims over Avandia in the US. Sales of the diabetes drug have fallen from $3bn in 2006 to $1.2bn in 2009 as concerns about the side effects have grown.