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February 06, 2008
I'm Thinking I'll Stick To The Twinkies...
In the control group, as those getting the "new treatment" didn't fare so well
WASHINGTON - An unexpected number of deaths among patients receiving intense therapy to lower their blood sugar forced the National Institutes of Health to abruptly cut short part of a major study on diabetes and heart disease.The therapy was aimed at reducing to normal levels the blood sugar of type 2 diabetics at especially high risk of heart attack and stroke. There were 257 deaths among people receiving intense diabetes treatment, compared to 203 in the standard treatment group, NIH’s National Heart Lung and Blood Institute said.
But gosh, I'm sure all the computer model runs went swimmingly, right? This is why we need to keep experimenting on animals, folks. Where would you rather have them find that there's a problem with some new drug/treatment: on Fluffy the Bunny or on your child?
Posted by Mr. Bingley at February 6, 2008 01:00 PM
Comments
Better living through chemistry!!
Posted by: tree hugging sister at February 6, 2008 01:12 PM
Hey, that's my line! I'm trying to teach it to my wife, but she even resists using antibiotics!
Posted by: Skyler at February 6, 2008 02:03 PM
Here's something even more interesting about treatment with Avandia.
After my doctor prescribed it (I have both type 2 diabetes and hypertension), I started having problems with sensitivity to my earrings. I've had pierced ears for 40 years with no problem, but my sister and daughter and granddaughter had sensitivity problems with their earrings (allergic to nickel, a common metal in old-style costume jewelry). I had had a second ear piercing sortly after the Avandia prescription, and I assumed the second piercing somehow triggered the allergy in me, even though I never have never had trouble with the second piercings, only with the older, first piercings.
After the Avandia scare, my doctor took me off of Avandia. Within a month, my earring problems vanished. I'm able to wear even my cheap junk earrings without problems. The whole thing, I believe, was a skin reaction to Avandia.
Better living through chemistry. Yes, usually. But not always.
Posted by: RebeccaH at February 6, 2008 09:33 PM
Rebecca, with the Tree Hugging Sister, "Better living through chemistry" generally refers to variations on this theme.
Posted by: The_Real_JeffS at February 7, 2008 11:05 AM