Breaking News!

A 334-page report released February 18^th by the Senate Finance Committee found the FDA overlooked or overrode safety concerns found by its staff, pertaining to the drug Avandia. Drugmaker, GlaxoSmithKline knew of the risks for years but hid them from the public.

An inquiry was begun after the New England Journal of Medicine published a study in May 2007 warning of possible cardiovascular risk of those taking Avandia. We're reporting on it here at HealthQuest Radio!

"Americans have a right to know there are serious health risks associated with Avandia and GlaxoSmithKline had a responsibility to tell them," said US Senator Max Baucus, a Democrat and committee chairman. "Patients trust drug companies with their health and their lives and GlaxoSmithKline abused that trust."

The Senate report was based on review of hundreds of thousands of pages of internal GlaxoSmithKline documents and concluded: The totality of evidence suggests the GlaxoSmithKline was aware of the possible cardiac risks associated with Avandia years before such evidence became public...Based on this knowledge, GlaxoSmithKline had a duty to sufficiently warn patients and the FDA of its concerns in a timely manner. Instead, GlaxoSmithKline executives intimidated independent physicians, focused strategies to minimize findings that Avandia may increase cardiovascular risk and sought ways to downplay findings that the rival drug ACTOS (pioglitazone) might reduce cardiovascular risk.

The findings are frightening because two-thirds of the people with Type 2 diabetes, the most common form, die of heart complications, without a compounding effect of taking a heart attack-causing drug like Avandia. Even considering the distribution of such a dangerous drug is ridiculously hazardous for these diabetic individuals!

Here's the real stinger! When the drug was approved, evidence of its benefits were "at best" mixed. Avandia's label already warns about possible heart failure and other heart problems when taken with insulin. The drug elevates LDL or bad cholesterol, and causes fluid retention and weight gain. Glaxo also reported some patients suffered more bone fractures, swelling of the legs and feet, and rare reports of swelling in the eye that caused vision problems. (Even with these known hazardous side-effects, Glaxo still contends that the safety and efficacy of Avandia is reasonable as an important diabetic medicine.)

This raises questions.... how many deaths were caused as a result of taking Avandia and what kind of bodily damage occurred with its use? According to The New York Times, in a report from the Institute for Safe Medication Practice, Avandia was linked to 304 deaths in the third quarter of 2009 alone, the highest for any prescribed drug in that time period. The report does not mention a collective number of deaths in this 8 year time period or deaths and/or heart attacks that may have occurred from 2007 to the present. Also missing, are any of the toxicity factors relating to the use of Avandia or the damage incurred.

If we were to put this concept in perspective...83,000 heart attacks occurred in 8 years. That's approximately 10,375 heart attacks a year or 864 heart attacks a month, caused by a prescriptive medication given to you by your doctor!

These heart attacks, if experienced in a given population of a city equal to what occurred nationwide...would be Arlington Heights or Waukegan or Cicero or Evanston and the college town of Champaign, Illinois. OR ...the combined populations of North Aurora, Prospect Heights, Round Lake, Sycamore and Country Club Hills.

That's equivalent to popular tourist destinations in Florida such as Miami Beach. Been to see Mickey Mouse lately? That would be everyone living in Kissimmee, Home of Disney World and Key West combined, experiencing heart attacks...with some turning fatal...as in death by Avandia!

Here at HealthQuest...we believe every prescription medication is an overdose...no exceptions! If you're going to take a prescription drug...you better strap yourself in for the ride!

Provoked by a diabetes drug named Avandia, just in heart attacks alone, this is the equivalent of more than 276 jumbo jets containing 300 trusting patients strapped in on Avandia. We should be outraged that drugmakers as well as the governmental agency responsible for protecting the public, the FDA, has put so many at risk!

These statistics are certainly frightening. Here at HealthQuest, we're all about making choices and taking steps toward better health & longevity. We can help you get there by using a targeted integrative healthcare approach using natural therapies. Quality of life and a quality of living is our goal for you. Explore our website to find more about us and alternatives to taking prescription drugs. Listen to our HealthQuest Radio broadcasts on our blog site at www.AdventuresinHealth.com.