Clinical Avandia studies to continue

Two large government-sponsored clinical studies involving a widely prescribed diabetes drug that has been linked to heart attacks will be allowed to continue, the National Institutes of Health announced.

The agency said safety officers had reviewed clinical data from the two studies involving Avandia and “found no evidence” to require discontinuing use of the drug. However, patients who signed up for the studies will be allowed to switch to other medications if they request.

The New England Journal of Medicine recently published an analysis concluding that patients who took Avandia to lower their blood sugar levels were 43% more likely to have a heart attack than patients given other medications or a placebo.

However, the Food and Drug Administration says other scientific data do not show an increased risk. The FDA has scheduled a scientific advisory meeting in late July to discuss the issue.