Summary

Original source:
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000102&sid=a9Nm2LBak2fI&refer=uk

Details

• GlaxoSmithKline Plc's Avandia diabetes drug has been linked to swelling in the back of the eye, which can reduce vision, U.S. regulators said.
• The Food and Drug Administration sent an e-mail notice today about the complication, known as macular edema, to about 54,000 subscribers of MedWatch, the agency's alert system.
• The FDA also forwarded a letter that Glaxo sent last month to doctors, saying the company received reports of both new and worsening cases of swelling in people taking Avandia.
• People with diabetes already are at higher risk of eye complications because of the disorder, which results in the blood vessels at the back of the eye, or retina, becoming leaky and swelling.
• European regulators last month also said they are reviewing macular edema reports in people using Avandia and Takeda Pharmaceutical Co.'s similar Actos drug.
• ``Even though the reported incidence is very rare, we felt a need to alert doctors,'' said Bernadette King, a Glaxo spokeswoman, in a telephone interview.
• She said the cause of the swelling is not clear.
• The swelling can cause blurred vision and changes in how color and darkness are perceived, the Glaxo letter said.
• There is less than one report of macular edema for every 10,000 patients estimated to have taken Avandia, King said.
• Avandia and Actos are used by people with Type 2 diabetes, the most common form, in which the body fails to produce enough insulin to keep blood sugar well controlled.
• London-based Glaxo is the world's second-largest drugmaker, behind Pfizer Inc. American depositary receipts of Glaxo were unchanged at $51.95 as of 3:02 p.m. in New York Stock Exchange composite trading.
• Calls to Takeda's U.S. offices in Lincolnshire, Illinois, were not immediately returned.

Related Articles

Popular Topics: Avandia, Diabetes, Blood, Diabetes, Breast cancer, Prostate cancer, Heart disease, Depression, High cholesterol, Osteoporosis, Vaccines, Autism, ADHD, Infertility, Weight loss, Cancer, Alzheimer's, Trans fats, Acrylamides, Fluoride, Mercury	Take Action: Support NaturalNews.com Email this article to a friend Share this article on: NewsVine | digg | del.icio.us Permalink to this article: http://www.NaturalNews.com/018055_Avandia_diabetes_blood.html Reprinting this article: Non-commercial use OK, cite NaturalNews.com with clickable link. <a href = "http://www.NaturalNews.com/018055_Avandia_diabetes_blood.html">GSK diabetes drug Avandia reported to cause eye problems</a>
Receive our Natural Health Newsletter for FREE Subscribe now (it's free!) to win. We randomly choose a subscriber each month to send $100 in eco-home products or a RealGoods.com gift certificate (our choice). Plus, you'll receive FREE news, articles and action alerts from NaturalNews.com editors and join over 800,000 monthly readers who report extraordinary health improvements after becoming a subscriber! Receive breaking news alerts on natural health solutions, renewable energy, the environment, global warming and more. Receive a free instant download of our $29 Secret Sources guide that reveals top sources for little-known health and diet solutions.	Your Email Address: Free Subscription Code: Enter the numbers you see: 100% free of charge. Unsubscribe anytime. Absolutely no spam. We respect your email privacy.
Recommended Special Report: Seven Words that can Change the World by Joseph R. Simonetta Read this special report now... "Seven Words That Can Change the World reveals the astonishing, simple truths that have the power to forever transform our world for the better while freeing our minds from the enslavement of limiting beliefs. This is not a text for the simple-minded; it is a guiding philosophy for the mindful, intelligent few who are wise enough to seek out -- and recognize -- the higher simplicities of truly purposeful living." - Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, editor of NaturalNews.com	More on NaturalNews.com: • Streaming Health Ranger Videos • CounterThink Cartoons • FREE Special Reports • Podcasts