FDA may change rules for diabetes drugs

WASHINGTON, June 29 (UPI) -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is considering new standards for drugs designed to treat diabetes, The Wall Street Journal reports.

The agency is considering benchmarks that would require pharmaceutical companies to prove the drugs reduce the risk of heart attack or increase the life span of diabetics, the newspaper said. Current benchmarks like reduction in blood sugar are easier to measure.

Two large scientific studies found no evidence that aggressive reduction in blood sugar levels increases diabetics' life expectancy or cardiovascular health, the newspaper said.

The FDA is also considering requiring pharmaceutical companies to show that diabetes drugs currently on the market do not increase the risk of heart disease.

The agency plans a two-day meeting beginning Tuesday to discuss whether standards should be changed. It will involve both FDA scientists and outside experts on diabetes.