A researcher and early critic of Avandia told Congress yesterday that a GlaxoSmithKline executive threatened him with dire financial consequences when he raised concerns about the drug. Dr. John Buse, who testified before a House panel yesterday, told investigators that Glaxo executive Dr. Tadataka Yamada suggested that he should be responsible for the $4 billion drop in stock value Glaxo suffered after Avandia safety concerns came to light. In light of similar findings by Dr. Steven Nissen, a Cleveland Clinic cardiologist, the FDA is now asking Glaxo--as well as Actos maker Takeda--to put "black box" warnings on the popular drugs. Nissen's findings suggest that Avandia, Glaxo's drug, increases a patient's odds of suffering a heart attack.
To learn more about Buse's concerns:
- read this article from The Boston Globe