The Hospital Authority will withdraw drugs containing Rosiglitazon, including Avandia and Avandamet, from its drug formulary with immediate effect.
The decision was made by an expert group which reviewed the authority's policy of prescribing Rosiglitazone. It was decided the authority should follow the recommendations of the European Medicines Agency's Committee on Medicinal Products for Human Use.
Arrangement for a change of drug therapy will be made at the next follow-up consultation for the 2,000 patients currently prescribed with the drugs at public hospitals and clinics.
Among the 200,000 diabetes patients seeking consultation at public hospitals and clinics, only a very small proportion who have been assessed to be clinically indicated was prescribed with drugs containing Rosiglitazone.
Patients should continue taking the drug to ensure the continual control of their blood sugar level until the next consultation. During the next follow-up consultation, the attending doctor will assess the patients' clinical condition and adjust the blood-sugar-control therapies accordingly.
