A former blockbuster diabetes pill that is subject to major safety restrictions may not be as dangerous as once thought.  The heart attack risk for Avandia is being reviewed by the Food and Drug Administration in the U.S., which suggests that the drug is as safe as older diabetes drugs.  This week, the F-D-A will ask a panel of experts to vote on a range of options for the drug, including lifting safety restrictions on its use.

Avandia was approved in 1999 and grew into a popular medication, but regulators, including Health Canada, restricted its use due to unresolved safety questions in 2010.