THE RISK OF RISK ANALYSIS

DR Lipscombe's stunningly cautious conclusion below that the harm of Avandia "may outweigh the benefits" is a classical example of why we have recommended in the past that readers not let others determine the level of acceptable risk for their own death or illness inasmuch as the risk assessor may not have the same vested interest in the outcome.

If a new car design caused the same increase in deaths, the reaction by professionals and the media would be considerably harsher.

NY TIMES - An independent analysis of thousands of older people with diabetes found that those treated with the widely used drug Avandia had significantly elevated risks of heart attack and death. . . The new study concludes that Avandia users had a 60 percent increased risk of heart failure, a 40 percent increased risk of heart attacks and a 30 percent increased risk of death, compared with patients taking other oral diabetes medicines.

"Our study suggests that, at least in this high-risk population, the harms of the drug may outweigh the benefits," said the study's lead author, Dr. Lorraine L. Lipscombe of the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences in Toronto, an independent non-profit group that evaluates treatments.