The FDA Issues Safety Communication: Lorcaserin Might Cause Cancer
The FDA issued a safety communication warning the public about lorcaserin. During a safety assessment of lorcaserin, clinical trials showed that taking lorcaserin might increase your risk of cancer. The FDA stated:
“At this time, the cause of the cancer is uncertain, and we cannot conclude that lorcaserin contributes to the cancer risk. However, we wanted to make the public aware of this potential risk. We are continuing to evaluate the clinical trial results and will communicate our final conclusions and recommendations when we have completed our review.”
What is Lorcaserin?
Lorcaserin is a popular weight loss, or diet, drug. It is prescribed in conjunction with a low-calorie diet and exercise plan to help individuals lose weight. The FDA approved it for use to help adults who are obese or overweight and have medical problems related to their excessive weight. Lorcaserin is supposed to increase feelings of fullness, so people eat fewer calories.
What is Belviq?
Belviq and Belviq XR are the brand names of lorcaserin. Since its approval in 2012, Belviq’s popularity as a weight-loss product has fluctuated. Arena Pharmaceuticals is the company that initially developed it. In 2017, Arena sold its rights to Belviq to Eisai so it could focus on developing other drugs.
FDA Has a History of Safety Concerns Over Belviq
It is not clear how many Americans take Belviq or how much revenue the weight-loss drug generates. It is clear, however, that the FDA has some concerns about its safety. The FDA did not initially approve the drug because the agency did not feel there was sufficient safety information.
After that, the FDA expressed concerns about the effect on the cardiovascular system. It had the manufacturer conduct additional testing regarding cardiovascular side effects.
In fact, the safety testing that led to this latest concern about cancer was a random, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial designed to evaluate heart-related issues. The results showed “more patients taking lorcaserin were diagnosed with cancer compared to patients taking placebo.”
Patients and their doctors are being urged to report any cases involving patients taking Belviq who have cancer. The FDA is still investigating the connection that might exist between lorcaserin and cancer.
Our Dangerous Drug Lawyers at Alonso Krangle, LLP Are Investigating Belviq Claims
If you take Belviq, Belviq XR, or lorcaserin and have been diagnosed with cancer, our lawyers would like to speak with you to get some details. Call Alonso Krangle, LLP, at 800-403-6191 to find out if you might be eligible to collect damages from the makers of Belviq.