Avandia makers, GlaxoSmithKline, recently issued new safety warnings to patients who may also be suffering from heart failure and unstable angina. The company issued a warning to patients taking the drug because of safety fears surrounding an array of scientific studies that have brought to light the risks associated with taking the type 2 diabetes drug.

In Australia, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) first increased Avandia’s labeling in 2007 to a black box warning, the harshest labeling possible for a pharmaceutical drug. In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommended that Avandia labels also receive the black box warning, but have declined to recall the drug from the market citing “insufficient evidence” to call for the drug’s removal, according to news reports.

About Avandia Risks

Avandia was released to the public from GlaxoSmithKline approximately nine years ago in 1999. Since that time, nearly 6 million individuals have been prescribed the medication, which controls glycemic levels in the body.

The New England Journal of Medicine first reported a potential increased risk of heart failure for Avandia patients, which was followed by a Swiss study that linked the drug to early onset osteoperosis and bone fracture.

Currently, the drug’s future is unknown, but many researchers and scientists continue to call for an Avandia recall, including the TGA, which, according to news reports, welcomed the increased safety warnings from the company in August 2008.

GlaxoSmithKline Sales Plummet

The antidiabetics market is expected to have an extreme growth over the next 10 years -- from $18 billion in 2007 to $29 billion in 2017, according to Datamonitor, a research and analysis company. However, GlaxoSmithKline is currently suffering from declining sales as more studies are published on the risks of Avandia. The company reported a 56 percent decrease in sales for the first quarter of 2008 and saw a 26 percent decline in sales during 2007.

GlaxoSmithKline additionally announced they will be laying off nearly 17,000 jobs, 350 of which have already been cut from the United States. The Datamonitor report also stated that the new antidiabetic growth of sales will likely occur because of a new molecular antidiabetic medication that many companies are changing to, but GlaxoSmithKline is yet to be one of those companies.

Seeking Avandia Legal Assistance

Individuals who are one of millions suffering from type 2 diabetes who received a prescription for Avandia should consult a physician immediately if they show any signs of heart failure problems as well as bone fractures or bone density losses. The following symptoms should prompt an immediate visit to a medical professional who may recommend discontinued use of the drug. Side effects include:

• swollen legs or ankles
• changes in vision
• unusual tiredness
• difficulties breathing
• rapid increase of weight gain
• become pregnant or are nursing
• heart failure or heart problems
• liver problems or liver disease within medical history

It is also important for an individual victim suffering from the Avandia side effects to know the legalities surrounding their medical condition and consuming Avandia. It is advisable for Avandia patients to consult with a pharmaceutical lawyer who will likely provide free legal consultation to better assist a victim’s understanding of developing an Avandia lawsuit, which may be necessary to receive monetary compensation as a repayment for damages incurred.