If you take Avandia for type 2 diabetes, Panorama tonight has a programme about it (A Risk Worth Taking?) on BBC1

As BBC News reports, even though the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has said Avandia's use should be suspended, it is still available on the NHS. Avandia is linked to increased risk of heart attacks and heart failure.

"Prof [Edwin] Gale, who chairs the European Medicines Agency scientific advisory group on diabetes, said Avandia should be withdrawn entirely.

"How long do you wait? How important is it to be absolutely certain and at what point do you start saying - this game isn't worth it, people's lives may be at risk, something should be done about it?" he said.

Clinical pharmacologist Dr Yoon Loke, of the University of East Anglia, said his analysis of the class of drug showed that it doubled the risk of heart failure, regardless of whether or not the patients were considered at high risk before they took the drug."

European Patient Groups, the pharmaceutical industry and funding

Given that patient and consumer groups are increasingly involved in as stakeholders and experts in management and scientific committees at the European Medicines Agency, one activist group decided to survey corporate sponsorship and compliance with disclosure requirements. Health Action International canvassed 23 groups, including those concerned with AIDS, multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, cancer and diabetes, to gauge financial ties between 2006 and 2008. Here is the study and this is what was found: Two-thirds of the groups working with the EMA received partial or significant funding from drugmakers or industry associations. All in all, 15 organizations received between 0.2 percent and 99 percent of their annual income from corporate sources, while seven were funded entirely from alternative sources.
Read article at pharmalot.com

European Medicines Agency told to provide details on anti-obesity drugs

European ombudsman Nikiforos Diamandouros has called on the European Medicines Agency (EMA) to grant access to clinical study reports and trial protocols for anti-obesity drugs. His demand follows a complaint from Danish healthcare researchers who wanted to conduct an independent analysis of the drugs. In 2007, the researchers, from a health and information centre, asked to see clinical study reports and corresponding trial protocols for two anti-obesity drugs. They explained that they wanted to conduct an independent analysis given that, in their view, biased reporting on drug trials was common.
Read article at theparliament.com

European Regulators To Limit Antibiotics

The European Medicines Agency recommends restricting the use of antibiotics based on moxifloxacin because of the potential risk of liver damage, and also wants strengthened warnings.
Read article at pharmalot.com

Bayer & Glaxo Linked To Bribes In Italy

A drug licences-for-cash scandal has engulfed Italy's medicines regulatory agency with leading officials arrested along with people linked to major drugmakers, PharmaTimes writes. The most senior figure to have been held is Pasqualino Rossi, vp of Aifa, the Italian Agency for Pharmaceuticals, and one of Italy's most senior reps at the European Medicines Agency. Five lobbyists have also been arrested, and an eighth person is being sought. Arrest warrants were issued after an investigating judge saw a 400-word police report suggesting money had changed hands in return for falsifying clinical data required for drug licences, according to PharmaTimes.
Read article at pharmalot.com

Further warning about Acomplia, the dangerous weight-loss drug. - But all you need to do to lose weight is eat less sodium (salt).

Acomplia drug patients at psychiatric risk - Telegraph

Extract:

"A weight-loss drug used by thousands of UK patients should not be taken by people on anti-depressants, a European health watchdog warned yesterday.

The European Medicines Agency (EMEA) said it was recommending that anyone taking anti-depressants or suffering ongoing major depression should not take rimonabant, which is sold under the brand name Acomplia.

About 41,000 patients in the UK have been treated with rimonabant since it was launched here in June 2006.

The Department of Health's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) said it had received reports of psychiatric reactions to Acomplia in the UK.

"Three hundred and sixty-four (364) psychiatric reactions have been reported," it said. "Amongst these, there have been 48 reports of depression, 16 reports of suicidal thoughts and one report of self-injury.""

This is all so stupid and unnecessary...)o: - There is no need at all to take any so-called weight-loss drug. - YOU CAN LOSE FAR MORE WEIGHT, IN COMPLETE SAFETY, VERY EASILY INDEED, AT NO COST AND WITHOUT HUNGER, EXERCISE, DIETING OR DRUGS, BY SIMPLY AVOIDING EATING SALT AND SALTY FOODS AND MAKING SURE YOU EAT PLENTY OF GOOD MEALS WITH PLENTY OF FRUIT AND FRESH VEGETABLES. - TRY IT!

Lose weight by eating less salt! Go on! - Try it! - You will feel so much better!
How to Lose weight!

See my website http://www.wildeaboutsteroids.co.uk/.html
(The site does not sell anything and has no banners or sponsors or adverts - just helpful information.)

Read my Mensa article on Obesity and the Salt Connection

See Sodium in foods and Associated health conditions

I can be contacted via my website if you need my further help. My help is free...