The evaluator for drugs being sold in Europe, the European Medicines Agency has decided to suspend the diabetes medicine, Avandia. It will no longer be available in the European market for sale, over the period of the next few months.

The European Medicine Agency has cited people using the medicine to be at an increased risk of a cardiac failure as the reason behind the suspension of the medicine. The agency has further stated that the suspension on the medicine would be raised, only after the benefits of the medicine are greater than the negatives.

Meanwhile, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) in Australia has announced that it would start an instant re-assessment of the drug, Avandia.

Deborah Waterhouse while speaking on the behalf of the manufacturer, GlaxoSmithKline has announced that the conglomerate felt that the medicine should not have been suspended. However, she added that the Company was working in tandem with the TGA and would make any appropriate changes, if required and pointed out by the TGA.

Avandia had earlier been put under restriction by the US Food and Drug Administration on Thursday. Even in Canada, Health Canada had advised people in the year 2007, to consume the medicine only if they did not find another alternative, as the medicine could lead to cardio-vascular problems.