A diabetes doctor warned the FDA of heart risks posed by the diabetes drug Avandia seven years ago, the New York Times reports. The same concerns raised by Dr. John Buse in a 2000 letter were reiterated in a study published by cardiologist Steven Nissen this week.
Documents show that the FDA subsequently reprimanded the drug's maker, GlaxoSmithKline, for minimizing risks. In an interview with the Times, Dr. Buse sticks to his assessment of Avandia, but adds that there should not be a rush to pull it from the market until more studies are completed. “In the last several years, there has not been a study that’s made me feel better about this," he says. (More Avandia stories.)