▁for ▁making ▁false ▁claims ▁about ▁it . ▁The ▁Justice ▁Department ▁said ▁G SK ▁had ▁promoted ▁ros ig lit az one ▁to ▁phys icians ▁with ▁mis leading ▁information , ▁including ▁that ▁it ▁con ferred ▁card i ov asc ular ▁benefits ▁despite ▁an ▁F DA - m and ated ▁label ▁warning ▁of ▁card i ov asc ular ▁ris ks . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 9 , ▁John ▁B use , ▁a ▁di ab etes ▁special ist , ▁told ▁medical ▁con ferences ▁that ▁ros ig lit az one ▁might ▁carry ▁an ▁increased ▁risk ▁of ▁card i ov asc ular ▁problems . ▁G SK ▁threatened ▁to ▁sue ▁him , ▁called ▁his ▁university ▁head ▁of ▁department , ▁and ▁persu aded ▁him ▁to ▁sign ▁a ▁retra ction . ▁G SK ▁raised ▁questions ▁internally ▁about ▁the ▁drug ' s ▁safety ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 0 , ▁and ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 2 , ▁the ▁company ▁g host w rote ▁an ▁article ▁in ▁Cir cul ation ▁describing ▁a ▁G SK ▁fund ed ▁clin ical ▁trial ▁that ▁suggested ▁ros ig lit az one ▁might ▁have ▁a ▁benef icial ▁effect ▁on ▁card i ov asc ular ▁risk . ▁From ▁ 2 0 0 1 , ▁reports ▁began ▁to ▁link ▁the ▁th ia z olid ined iones ▁( the ▁class ▁of ▁dru gs ▁to ▁which ▁ros ig lit az one ▁belongs ) ▁to ▁heart ▁failure . ▁In ▁April ▁that ▁year , ▁G SK ▁began ▁a ▁six - year , ▁open - label , ▁random ized ▁trial , ▁known ▁as ▁RE