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# Race and Income Affect FDA Alert Responses: Study
- URL: https://www.fdaweb.com/race-and-income-affect-fda-alert-responses-study/
- Published: 2016-03-17T12:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-15T02:44:57.000Z
- Author: David McFarland
- Tags: Drugs, #legacy-id-D5135117

> Research [reported](http://journals.lww.com/lww-medicalcare/Abstract/2016/04000/Disparities%5Fin%5FDiscontinuing%5FRosiglitazone.11.aspx?ref=fdaweb.com) in the April issue of *Medical Care* shows that among older adults with diabetes, white patients and those with lower incomes were moderately slower in discontinuing Avandia (rosiglitzane) after an FDA safety alert was issued. “This work speaks to the efficacy and equity of FDA safety advisories across important subgroups of the vulnerable elderly population,” says lead researcher **Danya Qato**. “Although the differences are modest, we believe they could have a significant impact as FDA crafts programs and policies to improve the public’s response to drug safety warnings.”  
>  
> Some two-thirds of the 45,000 Medicare Part D patients whose records were studied in the research stopped taking the drug within six months after the agency safety advisory. “After adjustment for other factors,” the report says, “white patients and those with low personal income discontinued rosiglitazone significantly later, compared to their black or higher-income counterparts. Patients living in the highest- versus lowest-socioeconomic status community discontinued rosiglitazone significantly earlier…. Other groups that were slower to stop taking rosiglitazone were men, older patients, those without previous cardiovascular disease, and those not previously taking other diabetes drugs.”  
>  
> The researchers say that the magnitude of the association was small — the median time to discontinuation of rosiglitazone among white patients was only 12 days after black patients. “That difference may seem negligible,” they write, “but when you consider that some drugs may have more acute side effects that are of greater health risk, those 12 days could be meaningful.” One of the challenges in measuring and interpreting the effectiveness of FDA risk management tools is that we don’t have established benchmarks for successful responsiveness.”  
>  
> The study says that the reasons for the racial difference in drug discontinuation are unclear, but cost issues seem to explain the later discontinuation of Avandia by lower-income patients.  
>  
> “The impact of FDA advisories can vary among sociodemographic groups,” the researchers conclude. “Policymakers should continue to monitor whether risk management policies reach their intended populations.”