Weight-Loss Drug Linked to Increased Risk of Cancer
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently initiated a recall of the weight-loss drug Belviq due to an increased risk of cancer. Goza & Honnold’s defective drug attorneys are reviewing cases on behalf of people who were diagnosed with cancer after taking Belviq or Belviq XR.
Belviq Recalled After Clinical Trials Show Increased Cancer Occurrence
The FDA approved the prescription medication Belviq (lorcaserin) in 2012 as a weight-loss aid for patients suffering from weight-related medical issues. At the time, the FDA ordered the drug manufacturer, Eisai Inc., to perform clinical trials related to the cardiovascular and metabolic effects of Belviq. In January 2020, the FDA announced that it was evaluating a possible increased risk of cancer in patients taking Belviq and Belviq XR, based on data gathered during the clinical trial. About a month later, on February 13, 2020, the FDA requested that Eisai withdraw Belviq and Belviq XR from the market, stating that the risk of cancer associated with Belviq outweighed the potential therapeutic benefits of the drug. According to the FDA, patients taking Belviq during the clinical trial had a higher incidence of cancer than patients taking a placebo. The trial spanned five years and followed 12,000 patients.
Types of Cancer Linked to Belviq
Of the patients taking Belviq (as opposed to a placebo) during the clinical trial, 7.7 percent were diagnosed with cancer. More than 500 primary cancers were identified, but the FDA indicates that the following types of cancers occurred with the most frequency:
- Pancreatic Cancer
- Colorectal Cancer
- Lung Cancer
The FDA has advised patients to stop taking Belviq and dispose of any unused medication. The agency has also advised doctors to stop prescribing the drug and to use alternative weight-loss treatments for their patients.
Contact Goza & Honnold, LLC
If you took Belviq or Belviq XR for weight loss and have since been diagnosed with cancer, contact Goza & Honnold today by calling (913) 451-3433. We offer free case consultations with our experienced defective drug attorneys, and we can help you determine if you are eligible to file a lawsuit against the drug manufacturer. You can also tell us about your case online by filling out the Contact form on our website.