Lawsuit Claims Cancer Risk
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that Belviq (lorcaserin), a popular weight-loss drug, would be pulled from the United States market as of February 2020.
The announcement came following research findings that tied Belviq and Belviq XR to increased cancer rates.
Researchers have been studying Belviq’s safety for five years and found increased reported rates of cancer in people who took the medication.
The FDA recommended that people who use Belviq for weight loss immediately stop taking the medicine.
What is Belviq and How Does it Work?
Belviq (lorcaserin) is a popular prescription weight-loss drug.
The drug is sold and produced by Eisai Inc., a Tokyo-based drugmaker.
Belviq was initially approved by the FDA in 2012 for U.S. markets.
Belviq alters the brain’s chemical signals responsible for appetite and increases feelings of fullness to help patients lose weight.
The drug is used as a combined treatment with diet and exercise to help adults who are overweight, obese, or suffering weight-related medical problems.
Belviq is sometimes prescribed to treat obesity linked to diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol, but it does not treat underlying health conditions.
What’s The Difference Between Belviq and Belviq XR?
Belviq (lorcaserin) is available in two separate forms.
Belviq is a 10 mg tablet prescribed to be taken twice a day.
Belviq XR is an extended-release form of lorcaserin prescribed as one daily dose.
Is Belviq Dangerous?
The Food and Drug Administration requested that Eisai Inc. withdraw Belviq from U.S. markets citing concerns over the drug’s ties to cancer.
Since Belviq was approved in 2012, researchers have been studying the medication’s safety.
The FDA originally required that the drug manufacturer conduct a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial that tested for risks of heart-related health problems.
The researchers analyzed approximately 12,000 participants, some of who were given Belviq while some took a placebo.
Researchers did not discover subsequent heart problems tied to Belviq, but they did find that patients taking the drug had a higher cancer diagnosis rate than those who took a placebo.
Research Links Belviq to Cancer
FDA researchers discovered increased rates of cancer in patients prescribed Belviq.
About 7.7 percent of patients who took Belviq had a cancer diagnosis compared to 7.1 percent who received a placebo.
Over the course of the trial, 662 Belviq patients were diagnosed with 520 primary cancers while the placebo group had 423 patients diagnosed with 470 cancers.
The FDA also reported that the longer a patient was on Belviq, the greater the increased risk of developing cancer.
Early studies performed on rats also hinted that Belviq might cause cancer.
Prior to the drug’s approval in 2012, manufacturer testing linked Belviq to an increased rate of cancerous tumors in rats.
The FDA was concerned with the findings, but the risks were not deemed significant enough to pull Belviq from markets.
The FDA has reversed its stance following the 2020 research that showed definitive evidence linking Belviq and cancer.
Does Belviq Cause Cancer?
The FDA announced in January that clinical trial results tied Belviq and Belviq XR to a possible increased risk of cancer.
The agency said that the drug’s cancer risks were significant enough to call for the drug to be removed from the U.S. market.
The agency notes that they cannot conclude that Belviq and Belviq XR contribute to the cancer risks, and the cause of developed cancers is still uncertain.
However, the agency noted that the risks of the medicine outweigh its benefits and recommend people using Belviq for weight loss stop taking the drug immediately.
Types of Cancers Linked to Belviq
The FDA requested the recall of Belviq and Belviq XR because of increased rates of cancers tied to the drug.
The agency reported several different types of belviq cancers including:
Belviq Pancreatic Cancer
Studies reveal Belviq causes an increased risk of Belviq Pancreatic cancer.
Belviq Colon Cancer
Studies reveal Belviq causes an increased risk of colorectal cancer.
Belviq Lung Cancer
Studies reveal Belviq causes an increased risk of lung cancer.
Other Belviq Cancers
Researchers are studying the possible Belviq links to increased risks of other cancers, including breast cancer and brain cancer.
Belviq Adverse Effects
The FDA recommended that people taking Belviq or Belviq XR immediately stop taking the drug following research findings tying the medication to increased cancer risks.
The medication also presents numerous other risks and side effects.
It’s important to note that the drug was only approved for people who are obese (with a body-mass index of 30 or more) or overweight (with a BMI between 27 and 30) and have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or diabetes.
Belviq side effects include:
- Headaches
- Dizziness
- Fatigue
- Nausea
- Dry Mouth
- Constipation
Does Belviq Affect Your Memory?
Studies have shown that certain Belviq patients may suffer from memory loss depending on the dosage taken and the length at which they consumed the drug.
Additionally, patients with diabetes who take lorcaserin can also experience back pain, coughing, and hypoglycemia as a result of taking the drug.
Lorcaserin can also cause heart valve issues and slowed heartbeat.
The Drug Enforcement Agency classifies the medication as a Schedule IV controlled substance citing risks of dependence – people who take more than prescribed might experience hallucinations, slowed thinking, and euphoria.
Belviq can also adversely interact with other medications.
The European Medicines Agency also rejected the drug over safety concerns in 2012.
Has Belviq Been Recalled?
Belviq has been recalled.
The U.S Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requested the weight-loss drug Belviq be pulled from U.S. markets in February after safety clinical trials tied the medication to increased rates of cancer.
Eisai Inc., the Tokyo-based manufacturer of the drug, submitted voluntary requests to withdraw the drug from the market.
Why Was Belviq Discontinued?
FDA officials said that Belviq’s cancer risks are significant enough for the agency to call for the removal of the drug.
Since the approval of the drug, researchers have been conducting a five-year study to analyze the medication’s safety profile.
Researchers found that approximately 7.7 percent of patients who took Belviq received a cancer diagnosis, compared to 7.1 percent of patients who took a placebo.
FDA Belviq Recommendations
The FDA has made these recommendations for patients Belviq patients and healthcare professionals:
FDA Recommendations For Belviq Patients
FDA officials recommended that people taking Belviq stop immediately.
Patients should talk to a health care provider to find alternative weight-loss drugs and weight management programs.
Belviq should be disposed of at a drug take-back location, or in household trash using the following four (4) steps:
- Mix the medication with an uninviting substance such as dirt, used coffee grounds, or cat litter. Do not crush the pills.
- Place the mixture in a sealed container such as a plastic bag or bottle.
- Throw the container away in your household trash.
- Remove all personal information from the prescription labels on empty medication bottles or packaging. Recycle or throw away the containers.
The agency is not recommending special cancer screening for patients who took Belviq.
Patients should still schedule regular recommended cancer screenings.
Patients should reach out to their healthcare provider with any questions.
FDA Recommendations For Healthcare Professionals Prescribing Belviq
The FDA states that healthcare providers should stop prescribing and dispensing Belviq and Belviq XR to their patients.
Providers should contact any patients who currently take the drug to inform them of results from the clinical trials and ask them to stop taking the medication.
Work with patients to find safer medications and weight-loss strategies.
Reporting Belviq Side Effects
To help the FDA track safety issues with Belviq and other medications, the agency encourages health professionals and patients to report side effects and adverse reactions to the FDA’s MedWatch Safety Information and Adverse Event Reporting Program.
Information can be submitted through:
Filing a Belviq Cancer Lawsuit
TorHoerman Law is currently accepting new Belviq cancer lawsuit clients.
Do I Qualify for a Belviq Lawsuit?
Patients may be eligible for a Belviq lawsuit if they took:
And were subsequently diagnosed with:
- Pancreatic cancer
- Or other cancers
If you believe you may qualify for a lawsuit, contact TorHoerman Law for a free, no-obligation case consultation with a Belviq cancer lawyer today.
You can also use our chatbot below to receive a free, instant online case evaluation right now!
If you do qualify, it may help to familiarize yourself with the steps of the civil litigation process before you begin so that you know the step of your Belviq lawsuit.
Damages
If you took Belviq or Belviq XR and were diagnosed with pancreatic, colorectal, lung cancer, or other cancers, a Belviq cancer lawyer from TorHoerman Law will work to seek the following damages for you:
- Medical expenses from your treatment
- Pain and suffering, both physical and mental, caused by cancer, treatments, and recovery period
- Loss of wages, loss of earning capacities
- Loss of enjoyment of life resulting from the disease and damages
- Other punitive damages and compensatory damages
After calculating your total damages, you will determine how much compensation you desire from your Belviq lawsuit to cover your total costs.
Hiring a Belviq Cancer Lawyer
The first step to filing a Belviq lawsuit is hiring a personal injury lawyer.
Your state’s statute of limitations allows only a certain window of time for you to take legal action after suffering an injury, so it is important to find a Belviq cancer lawyer and file your Belviq lawsuit as soon as possible.
In the unfortunate event that your loved one died as a result of cancer from Belviq, you might need to consult a wrongful death attorney.
Your attorney will help you to:
- Gather evidence
- Establish liability
- Build a case
- Navigate the litigation process
- Get compensated for your injuries
Mitigating Damages
Your Belviq cancer lawyer will stress this, but another important first step is to mitigate injuries and future costs by seeking medical treatment right away and following your doctor’s orders.
Mitigation is an important step in building strong, honest case facts.
Be sure to minimize any costs or negative affects of your injury and never try to upload the severity of your injuries.
Evidence
It’s important to start gathering evidence as soon as possible to support your claim against the manufacturer or liable party.
This evidence includes:
- Medical bills
- Proof of damages
- Loss of wages
- Calculated future costs
- Documented physical & emotional suffering
- Or other evidence
This will help prove the total cost of losses endured resulting from your diagnosis.
TorHoerman Law, Belviq Lawyers
Hiring the best Belviq cancer lawyer is crucial in receiving proper compensation for you or your loved one’s suffering.
At TorHoerman Law, our law firm will work with you to navigate the legal system and help you successfully file your Belviq cancer lawsuit.
We offer free, no-obligation case evaluations and consultations for all potential Belviq cancer lawsuit clients.
TorHoerman Law operates on a contingency fee basis – meaning we don’t expect payment unless we win.
So, we are as dedicated as our clients to get the best potential outcome from their Belviq lawsuit.
With over 100 years in combined litigation experience and verdicts & negotiated settlements in our previous legal actions exceeding $4 billion, our experience and results speak for themselves.
Contact TorHoerman Law today to learn about your potential Belviq lawsuit and legal options.
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