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New litigation: Belviq, Belviq XR (lorcaserin) by Eisai -- FDA obtains market withdrawal of weight-loss drug.

Photo image: two human feet on a weight scale.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) has just requested that Eisai, Inc. (a Japanese drug company with U.S. headquarters in New Jersey), withdraw its weight-loss drug Belviq and Belviq XR from the U.S. market because of an increased occurrence of cancers observed among users.  The FDA Notice is available by link here:

https://www.fda.gov/drugs/fda-drug-safety-podcasts/fda-requests-withdrawal-weight-loss-drug-belviq-belviq-xr-lorcaserin-market

A copy of the notice of withdrawal by Eisai, Inc., manufacturer of Belviq and Belviq XR, is available here:

https://us.eisai.com/

The FDA has issued this safety communication regarding Belviq and Belviq XR (lorcaserin), which are indicated for chronic weight management in adults with BMI 30 or BMI 27 with at least one weight-related comorbidity, when combined with diet and exercise.  Belviq was approved in 2012 and Belviq XR was approved in 2016.

FDA stated in issuing the market withdrawal of this drug: “When FDA approved lorcaserin [Belviq] in 2012, we required the drug manufacturer [Eisai] to conduct a clinical trial to evaluate the risk of cardiovascular problems.  A range of cancer types was reported, with several different types of cancers occurring more frequently in the lorcaserin group, including pancreatic, colorectal, and lung.”

As a result of this increased cancer risk, the FDA recommends that patients should stop taking Belviq and Belviq XR (lorcaserin) and talk to their health professionals about alternative weight-loss medicines and weight management programs.  In a related move, the FDA is directing that healthcare professionals stop prescribing and dispensing Belviq and Belviq XR (lorcaserin) to patients.

If you or someone you know is or was:

(i) An adult; and

(ii) Experienced primary pancreatic cancer; (ii) primary colorectal cancer; and/or (iii) primary lung cancer, and

(iii)  Had at least six (6) months of collective (not necessarily continuous) exposure to Belviq or Belviq XR, and

(iv)  Ingested Belviq or Belviq XR within seven (7) years of their cancer diagnosis,

You or the person you know may have a claim for monetary damages in compensation for the cancers caused by exposure to these weight-loss medications.

For a free, personal consultation about your legal rights or those of someone you know or of a deceased regarding Belviq or Belviq XR, with absolutely no obligation, call me at 315-884-8888 or send me an email inquiry using this link: 

https://www.jimsnyderlaw.com/contact

I promise to respond immediately and with full confidentiality.    

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James Snyder