It’s no secret that there isn’t really a ‘cure’ for diabetes. Rather, sufferers are prescribed a number of treatments and therapies to help them control the level of sugar in their blood.
Just recently, it was reported that one such medicinal treatment was putting consumers at risk of leg and foot amputations. This is an SGLT2 inhibitor called invokana, and it’s available to help diabetes sufferers control blood sugar levels.
Besides being an alarming fact for those who have diabetes, this is a worry for the population on the whole. Is the medical industry so poorly regulated that stuff like this can slip through the cracks?
It’s not as though the drug produces a minor side effect, like nausea or headaches. These unfortunate patients are ending up with no legs, feet or toes, a crippling injury which can severely halt someone’s life.
Sure, these people can claim compensation for medical negligence, but the problem shouldn’t exist in the first place. This isn’t even the only invokana injury that can be sustained from taking the drug either! Other reported cases include strokes and ketoacidosis, among others.
But the question remains – are diabetes sufferers truly at risk? Is the population, on the whole, at risk of medical negligence? For those who weren’t aware, all foodstuffs and drugs are regulated and quality-assured by the FDA. The FDA will approve products that are then sold to mass markets, like the aforementioned invokana.
In May of 2015, the FDA issued a warning stating that SGLT2 inhibitors for diabetes could in fact be doing more harm than good. Later that year, the FDA updated the labels on SGLT2 products to include warnings about the health risks. Think about those ‘smoking kills’ warnings on cigarette packets, only less severe.
And what does this mean? It means that no matter how effective invokana actually is, there is a potent risk associated with its consumption. It isn’t a myth, or an old wives tale – the FDA, the major governing body for drugs, has admitted it exists.
And on the whole, I’d argue that this tells us more about the wider medical industry. There’s a reason why so many personal injury claims are filed every year. There’s a reason why firms exist to get people compensation. It’s because these problems do exist, and they’re more common than you think.
They’re so common in fact, that it’s highly likely you’re at risk too. Common prescription drugs can cause issues like diarrhea, menstrual cramps and even thrush. The very products we rely on to protect us, could in fact be doing the opposite! So what do we do?
The truth is, there’s not much we can do. Ultimately, we’re all at the mercy of the FDA and other similar bodies, who tell us what’s good and what’s not. But as this evidence demonstrates, sometimes, they don’t truly know either.
So, overall, I urge you to read that medical label, and read it thoroughly. Amputation is on the severe, rarer end of side effects, and the worst you may come down with is a slight sickness. I’d recommend using these medicines as a last resort. Stick to natural remedies and home treatments that will keep you healthier for longer.