Help Wanted.

Needed: Researchers with several years of experience in a laboratory setting who are able to produce conclusive results from studies on patient-oriented outcomes. The perfect candidate will be familiar with the insufficient evidence that has been collected thus far to determine if the so-called antidiabetic drug rosiglitazone is effective enough to warrant its use in spite of potential side-effects. This candidate will also be aware that rosiglitzone has been shown to raise the risk of edema, increase body weight, and possibly increasing cardiovascular risk.

Research is currently being done on this drug, and a meta-analysis of data from 18 trials that involved close to 8,500 patients are being examined by the Chochrane Systematic Review. Those involved in this study are calling for additional studies to be held to support their analysis and assist them in making a determination of efficacy on this drug.

And just in case you thought I was serious with this, please know that I'm not. Although, the information involving the drug rosiglitazone and its potential side-effects is true. As for the whole job opening thing -- who knows, maybe it's worth looking into.

According to a new Associated Press (AP) feature, federal regulators have experienced a dramatic surge in reports of Avandia-related side effects. In fact, they say they are receiving triple the number of reports just in the last month. This trend began when news broke that the drug, which has been a big money maker for GlaxoSmithKline, may increase the risk of heart trouble.

The data supporting the claim was gathered by the AP from the US Food and Drug Administration. Whoever wrote this article makes a point of noting that the figures were obtained with the backing of the Freedom of Information Act, although the report does not say the FDA resisted handing the information out. The key finding: in the thirty-five days before the Avandia story broke in the media, only five heart attacks were reported as side effects involving rosiglitazone. Rosiglitazone is the active ingredient in Avandia and its little cousin Avandamet, which combines that drug with metformin. Yet in the thirty-five days following the revelation, that number soared to ninety. The AP also says reports of heart-related hospitalizations increased dramatically.

The AP says that several experts consulted for the article agree that doctors are probably attributing patients' heart problems to the drug, whereas before they likely would not have made the connection. The report also touches on the problem that's at the heart of the Avandia story: the dire need for reform of the FDA. Right now, there is no organized governmental oversight of drug safety once a drug is on the market and all reporting of side effects is voluntary. No one is driving the bus, basically. Click here to read more.

Don't know about the Avandia scandal? Want to read more on the background to this story? Click here for just one of a gazillion news stories published recently on Avandia and the FDA.

Researchers defined a link between high insulin levels and defective lipid metabolism but the cause may not be exactly what you think. According to a study published in June, 2005 -- this could be due to their choice in blood sugar lowering medication.

The conclusion of the study identified obese insulin-resistant subjects taking metformin (brand names Glucophage, Diabex, Diaformin, Fortamet, Riomet, Glumetza) and rosiglitazone both improve insulin sensitivity (increase insulin production) but DO NOT improve lipid metabolism. Rosiglitazone (brand name Avandia) may have a detrimental effect on chylomicron metabolism

Blood vessels of insulin-resistant rats build up a substance called chylomicron cholesterol following a high fat meal. Because the rats are insulin-resistant, more insulin (in the form of an anti-diabetes pill) is required to clear sugars and fats from their bloodstream. Higher insulin levels reduced the rate of chylomicron removal from the blood stream following a meal. This slower clearing rate increased the chylomicron particles sticking around the blood vessels, leading to arterial plaque build up and heart disease.

Knowing that high levels of insulin are associated with elevated levels of chylomicron cholesterol, researchers will use this information to try to figure out how this happens.

Why would they do that? The answer was already explained in June, 2005. Oh it must be because arterial plaque builds differently in Australian's on anti-diabetic pills than it does in American's on anti-diabetic pills. We should all thank the good folks at GlaxoSmithKline, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Pfizer and Merck. Without their medicine -- how would anybody ever know about this stuff? First you're on an anti-diabetic pill, then you're on cholesterol lowing pill, what's next? Of course -- the blood pressure!!

How many people are Gold Star type 2 diabetic patients?

Canadian researchers report that the drug, Avandia, approved for the treatment of type 2 diabetes, may help prevent the disease from developing in high-risk individuals.

In the Diabetes Reduction Assessment with Ramipril and Rosiglitazone Medications (DREAM) trial, the Canadian team randomly assigned nearly 5,300 adults from clinics in 21 countries to get 8 milligrams of Avandia or a placebo daily for three years. All of the participants were at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes, having already shown signs of poor blood-sugar control. Over the course of the trial, 280 people (12 percent) taking Avandia went on to develop type 2 diabetes compared with 658 people (26 percent) who received the placebo, the researchers report.

The DREAM researchers announced their findings at a meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes, in Copenhagen. The results of the Avandia arm of the study are also published in the Sept. 15 online edition of The Lancet. The results of the Altace arm of the study will appear in the Oct. 12 print edition of the New England Journal of Medicine; the findings were released Friday, to coincide with the presentation in Copenhagen.

The president for medicine and science of the American Diabetes Association, Dr. Larry C. Deeb is horrified by the diabetic explosion going on around us. He fears that diabetes prevention is becoming a pharmacological intervention. People would rather pop a pill than implement a healthier diet and exercising. Sadly, I must agree with you, Larr. The road to hell is paved with good intentions.