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Injury victims who developed cancer after taking Belviq or other weight-loss drugs may be entitled to financial compensation for medical costs and lost wages by filing a lawsuit and our law firm can help. Please click the button below for a Free Consultation or call our law firm 24 hrs/day by dialing (866) 588-0600 for legal action.
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Weight Loss Drug Belviq Linked to Lung Cancer, Colorectal Cancer: FDA Recall
Belviq (lorcaserin) was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2012. Other drugs in the diet industry had previously proven to have negative effects on heart function, prompting the FDA to order the drug’s manufacturer Eisai to undergo long-term safety studies of the drug’s cardiac effects and other chronic safety concerns.
Eisai’s five-year clinical trial involved 12,000 patients and concluded no negative cardiac effects were shown; however, the study did show that patients taking Belviq for an extended period of time had an increased risk of cancer types including colorectal, pancreatic, and lung cancer compared to similar drugs. Longer medication use is correlated with increased cancer risk.
Upon publication of double-blind study results showing certain cancers increase, in January 2020, the FDA issued a safety alert regarding Belviq and Belviq XR, warning of the potential cancer risk and stating that evaluation of the study results was ongoing.
The FDA required that healthcare professionals should evaluate the risks of Belviq and compare them to possible benefits when prescribing the medication but did not declare that the increased cancer rates were directly connected.
On February 13, 2020, Eisai agreed to voluntarily withdraw all forms of Belviq and Belviq XR. The recall and withdrawal were issued voluntarily by Eisai, who agreed to cooperate with the agency’s request but disagreed with the study conclusion which links cancer to Belviq use.
Related Article: Belviq (Lorcaserin) Lawsuit Update
Side Effects
Taking Belviq or Belviq XR products may be linked to an increased risk for the following types of cancer:
- Lung Cancer
- Colorectal Cancer
- Colon Cancer
- Pancreatic Cancer
- Breast Cancer
- Cardiovascular Events
- Heart Attack
- Stroke
- Hypertension
- Heart Valve Damage
- Serotonin Syndrome
- And more
How Can Belviq Users Avoid Increased Risk of Cancer?
In order to avoid the increased cancer risks, FDA announced that patients who were prescribed Belviq and Belviq XR have been advised to discontinue their medication and to discuss other medical treatments or methods for their weight-control needs and cardiovascular disease with their healthcare providers.
The agency also stated that additional monitoring or testing was not required at this time.
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Get a Free Belviq Colorado Lawsuit Evaluation With Our Personal Injury Attorney
The Pharmaceutical Litigation Group at Schmidt & Clark, LLP law firm is an experienced team of trial lawyers that focus on the representation of plaintiffs in Belviq cancer lawsuits against Arena Pharmaceuticals. Our experienced attorneys are filing lawsuits on behalf of Belviq patients nationwide and are currently accepting new cancer diagnoses in all 50 states.
Patients taking the prescription drug Belviq who developed pancreatic, colorectal, or lung cancer should contact our law firm immediately for a free consultation. Belviq patients with a cancer diagnosis may be entitled to compensation for their emotional pain and pain and suffering by filing lawsuits against the drug manufacturer and our lawyers can help.
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