Like to save money and avoid health risks? Try an older diabetes med. Avandia and Actos are no more effective at controlling diabetes, and are often less safe than older meds that cost much less, according to a new report by Consumers Report. For instance, the newer meds can cost $150 to $250 a month, compared with $10 to $60 a month for older drugs, such as metformin.

“This is truly significant information for the millions of people with diabetes struggling to control their disease, but also struggling with the high cost of their medications,” says Gail Shearer, project director of Consumer Reports’ Best Buy Drugs. “The evidence shows that lower-cost, older medicines work just as well for most people.” You can read the full report here.

The report is based on a new analysis by researchers at Johns Hopkins University who screened the findings of over 216 published studies, and was sponsored by the federal Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. An article based on the new analysis is being published today on the web site of the Annals of Internal Medicine.