A recent investigation led by the British Medical Journal (BMJ) and UK’s Channel 4 Dispatches raises concerns about the safety of several popular drugs used to treat type-2 diabetes. In particular, the investigation uncovered evidence that exenatide (marketed in the US as Byetta and Bydureon) and liraglutide (marketed in the US as Victoza) might increase the risk for pancreatic cancer and other pancreatic abnormalities. In addition to various studies, both the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Medicines Agency (EMA) have informed the BMJ of data showing a “signal” for pancreatic cancer related to those drugs.

Sources:

MailOnline, 6/10/2013 (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2338561/Diabetes-drugs-taken-thousands-linked-cancer-pancreas-health-problems.html?ITO=1490&ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490);

BMJ, 6/10/2013 (http://www.bmj.com/press-releases/2013/06/10/investigation-raises-questions-about-safety-new-diabetes-drugs-and-speaks-)