{"version":"1.0","provider_name":"The Ethical Nag","provider_url":"http:\/\/ethicalnag.org","author_name":"Carolyn Thomas","author_url":"https:\/\/ethicalnag.org\/author\/czthomas\/","title":"Avandia: a very short history of a very bad drug","type":"link","html":"The drug giant GlaxoSmithKline\u2019s controversial diabetes drug Avandia (generic name rosiglitazone) has been found to increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes \u2014 and even death. As many as 100,000 heart attacks, strokes, deaths and cases of heart failure may be directly attributed to Avandia since the drug was launched in 1999, according to FDA scientist Dr. David Graham.  Yet physicians are still prescribing the drug to nearly half a million people, which translates into approximately $900 million in annual sales for GSK.","thumbnail_url":"http:\/\/carolynthomas.files.wordpress.com\/2013\/01\/glaxo_s-avandia.jpg?fit=440%2C330","thumbnail_width":null,"thumbnail_height":null}