A Canadian study appearing in the current issue of The Lancet suggests that a low-dose Avandia-Metformin cocktail could reduce the risk of Type II diabetes by 60 percent with significantly fewer side-effects, but ABC News reports that it is already under fire by long-time pharmaceutical critic Dr. Sidney Wolfe.
Dr. Wolfe, director of Public Citizen’s Health Research group, is calling for an end to Avandia clinical trials, arguing it is increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease. ACSH’s Dr. Gilbert Ross counters, “This is a well-controlled study with incredible reductions in the progression of diabetes. These results definitely warrant a much larger study. Meanwhile, research into whether or not diabetes patients are at increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease related to Avandia is ongoing.”
"Are we the only ones challenging Dr. Wolfe's sheepish and dogmatic opposition to more clinical trials?" asks Stier.
