diabetes drugs

(University of California - Los Angeles Health Sciences) Two newer drugs used to treat Type 2 diabetes could be linked to a significantly increased risk of developing pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer, and one could also be linked to an increased risk of thyroid cancer.

And the legal settlements for health care organizations keep right on marching along.  Here are the basics, per the Wall Street Journal, starting with the outline of the first settlement for Novo Nordisk:

Drug maker Novo Nordisk A/S's U.S. affiliate has agreed to pay more than $25 million to end investigations by U.S. authorities related to the marketing of NovoSeven and several diabetes drugs.

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -- Eli Lilly will pay Boehringer Ingelheim $387.4 million and collaborate with the German drugmaker to develop diabetes drugs with the U.S. pharmaceutical company facing the expiration of some of its key patents....

(MedPage Today) -- Three-fourths of patients with type 2 diabetes were able to stop taking medication six months after undergoing bariatric surgery -- and almost 85% no longer needed diabetes drugs at two years -- reducing healthcare costs, according to a review of health insurance records.

(The Endocrine Society) Postmenopausal women with diabetes taking thiazolidinediones (TZDS), including rosiglitazone and pioglitazone, may be at increased risk for fractures according to a new study accepted for publication in the Endocrine Society's Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.

Men with diabetes taking both loop diuretics and TZDs may also be at increased risk of fractures.

Federal health experts said Wednesday the much-debated diabetes pill Avandia increases the risk of heart attack compared to other diabetes drugs.

A new class of diabetes drug -- SGLT2 inhibitors -- gives a modest boost to other diabetes drugs.

The drugs have an interesting side effect: weight loss.

In a four-year study, the popular Mediterranean-style diet helped keep type 2 diabetes patients off blood-sugar-controlling medications.

WASHINGTON (AP) -- New drugs to treat an epidemic of diabetes will have to be screened more closely for heart risks, federal health officials said Wednesday.

The Food and Drug Administration's policy change should offer a greater assurance of safety to doctors and patients.

But it will make it more costly and time-consuming for companies to develop drugs that lower blood sugars.

Well over 100 such medications are in some stage of development....

ROCKVILLE, Md. -- Type 2 diabetes drugs aiming to pass FDA muster should be required to consider long-term cardiovascular safety as part of the approval mix, according to agency advisers.