The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced that it will allow Avandia (rosiglitazone) to stay on the market with severe restrictions for its use

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced Sept. 23, 2010 that it will significantly restrict the use of the diabetes drug Avandia to patients with Type 2 diabetes who cannot control their diabetes on other medications. These new restrictions are in response to data that suggest an elevated risk of cardiovascular events, such as heart attack and stroke, in patients treated with Avandia.

Endocrinologists at the Cotton-O'Neil Diabetes and Endocrinology Center urge patients who are currently taking Avandia or any combination pill that includes Avandia to:

1. Contact their diabetes care provider's office for instructions about treatment options. Patients should be aware that stopping a diabetes medication without consulting a doctor can result in higher levels of blood glucose that may cause serious short term health problems and could increase the risk of long term diabetes-related complications.
2. Retain good control to avoid short and long term complications of diabetes.

To read the entire joint statement made by The American Diabetes Association, The Endocrine Society and the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists, click here.