Safety warning on diabetes drug

Medicines regulator Medsafe says it expects the distributor of diabetes drug Avandia to strengthen its warnings about the risk of heart attacks.

In the US, GlaxoSmithKline's Avandia will carry a "black box" warning that says the drug could cause chest pain or heart attacks.

The drug is available on prescription in New Zealand, but Medsafe understands its use is limited to about 400 people.