A previous Food and Drug Administration officer said the manufacturer of diabetes drug Avandia withheld from supervisory body the information that suggested that the drug posed an amplified risk for serious heart troubles, according to people familiar with her statements.

The accusation comes as one of the prime recent drug-safety fights that have reached a climax. Starting on Tuesday, a board of specialists assembled by the FDA will discuss whether GlaxoSmithKline PLC's Avandia should be ordered to be pulled out from the market after three years of argument over its suspected side-effects.

The statements by the ex-FDA officer, which were made in an evidence for suits that had been filed against Glaxo, are included in a memo that was received on Monday by the agency from Sen. Chuck Grassley (R., Iowa), who is the top Republican on the Senate Finance Committee who has been inspecting Glaxo and Avandia.

His letter, which was co-signed by committee Chairman Sen. Max Baucus (D. Mont.), comprises added information offering details of internal company account regarding Avandia, according to people familiar with the letter.

The letter states that Glaxo had not given the FDA complete information in regards to Avandia's risks in a timely manner, according to one more person familiar with its contents.