Those afflicted with Type 2 diabetes need medication to control their high blood sugar and end up turning to the dominate prescriptions on the market: Onglyza and Kombiglyze XR. Released in 2009, Onglyza quickly became a popular choice of medication to control blood sugar amongst Type 2 diabetics since it didn’t cause excess weight gain as other DPP-4 inhibitors on the market did. Kombiglyze XR, released in 2010, contains the same active ingredients as Onglyza but additionally has metformin with saxagliptin to make it an extended release pill.
Expected annual sales of these drugs will reach $2.47 billion by 2018.
However, the dark side is that these once touted “new darlings of diabetes treatment” from the British Medical Journal are now destroying the lives of many people. Both drugs are linked to serious side effects that until recently were not publicized. Patients are feeling helpless as they face two dismal options: take the medication and risk complications or refrain from medicating and live with the risks of uncontrolled blood sugar levels.
Onglyza Deadly Side Effects
Side effects range from the common; diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, headache, upper respiratory tract infection, sore throat to the downright deadly. The most notable being the creation of pre-cancerous cells in the pancreas. Patients taking these drugs have a higher than normal risk of pancreatic and thyroid cancer along with an increased risk of heart failure.
The FDA conducted a clinically controlled trial in order to evaluate the cardiovascular risks associated with Onglyza–and the results were astonishing. The SAVOR study without a doubt established that there is a 27 percent increased risk of heart failure when using these medications. Side effects of heart failure can be congested lungs, bloating, increased the need to urinate, dizziness, fatigue, and rapid or irregular heartbeats.
These side effects are not just a mild inconvenience. They can kill. These drugs were approved after only two studies with 766 subjects. How many thousands of people could have been spared these life-threatening side effects with more testing and larger subject pools?
These studies have shown the FDA, retailers, and consumers that Onglyza is in no way a “safe” alternative to other diabetes medications. In fact, Express Scripts (one of the largest pharmacies in the USA) has pulled Onglyza from its shelves. Representatives for Express Scripts have stated that they will not restock their shelves with Onglyza or Kombiglyze XR until there is a label warning of the risk of heart failure or a black box warning for the risk of heart failure from the FDA. Actions like this lead us to believe that a label change will be coming soon. As more consumers suffer from heart failure as a result of these drugs, big pharma will be held accountable for their lack of consideration for the dangers they are imposing on unsuspecting consumers.
We understand how frustrating it is to feel like a victim to these big companies. At The Michael Brady Lynch Firm, we are dedicated to ensuring that you will never feel helpless again. Please call us at 877-513-9517.