Washington, DC -U.S. Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.)
commented today on the FDA’s announcement that it will add additional “black box"
labeling to the diabetes drug Avandia. Chairman Baucus, along with Finance Ranking member Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), has been investigating safety issues surrounding the drug. The Finance Committee has jurisdiction over Medicare and Medicaid, major purchasers of medicines like Avandia.
“Concerns have been voiced for some time about Avandia’s possible role in heart attacks in patients taking the drug, and it’s about time for a firm word from the FDA about the potential risks," Baucus said. “I will continue to work with Senator Grassley to find out more about the FDA’s and GlaxoSmithKline’s actions with regard to Avandia, and will watch closely the FDA's comparison study of Avandia and other drugs. Patients and the taxpayers purchasing this drug through Medicare and Medicaid have a right to a thorough inquiry."
Source: Ranking Member’s News
