UK drug regulators want GSK’s controversial diabetes pill Avandia pulled from market

UK regulators want Avandia diabetes pill pulled

LONDON — British drug regulators say GlaxoSmithKline’s controversial diabetes pill Avandia should be pulled from the U.K. market because of concerns that the drug can increase the risk of heart attacks.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency says an independent panel of experts concluded that the risks of Avandia outweigh its benefits, and that it should no longer be sold in Britain.

The British Medical Journal also called for the immediate withdrawal of the drug, saying it should never have been licensed.

Avandia was approved by the European Medicines Agency to help lower blood sugar levels in patients with type 2 diabetes.

The calls to pull Avandia came ahead of an EMA meeting on the drug’s safety scheduled later this week.