February 4, 2015

By Trudy Lieberman
Rural Health News Service

What does the label “FDA-approved” really mean? Most people probably think it assures that a drug you take is safe and effective for the condition you have. It seems to say a drug has passed muster with the drug safety experts in Washington so it’s OK to use it, right? Well, not quite.
An investigation by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel has just concluded FDA approval is no guarantee a drug is safe and effective, and the paper’s investigation of diabetes drugs should make every user of prescription drugs think twice about medications their doctors prescribe.
In December the Journal Sentinel and its partner MedPage Today revealed that more than 3,000 deaths and some 20,000 hospitalizations have been linked to diabetes drugs in the last decade. The drugs include some you’ve probably seen advertised such as Januvia, Byetta, and Victoza.
Reporters found none of the 30 new diabetes drugs have been proven effective in reducing key complications of the disease such as heart attacks, strokes, or blindness.     Login or Subscribe to read the rest of this story.