Safety data from a Belviq trial showed users had a higher occurrence of cancer compared to those who were given a placebo. Our attorneys are investigating cases of cancer including pancreatic cancer, colon cancer, and lung cancer among users of Belviq.

Are you a user of Belviq? Have you been diagnosed with cancer of the liver, stomach, pancreas, kidney, bladder or any other vital organ? If so, you could be entitled to significant compensation for this egregious injury.

The attorneys at KR Law have a long, prolific history of winning mass torts for our clients. We have decades of experience navigating and managing pharmaceutical-related MDLs, which can be complex and challenging.

Our attorneys can help you:

• Fight the giant drug makers behind Belviq’s creation and popularity
• Maximize the damages you receive to compensate you for your injury, loss of income, pain and suffering and other consequence

What is Belviq?

Belviq is diet pill approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in June 2012 for long-term weight management in overweight and obese adults. It was approved to treat adults with a body mass index (BMI) of 27 or greater with at least one weight-related condition, such as high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, or high cholesterol. The approval was granted based on three clinical trials involving fewer than 8,000 overweight patients. The patients used the medication for 52 to 104 weeks. Compared to a placebo, patients taking Belviq for up to one year had an average weight loss ranging from 3% to 3.7%. Belviq and Belviq XR are manufactured by Eisai Inc.

Belviq contains the active drug ingredient Lorcaserin, which works by activating the serotonin 2C receptor in the brain. This activation is thought to help a person feel full after eating smaller amounts of food and, as a result, eat less. Serotonin 2C receptor is the same appetite-controlling hormone targeted by fenfluramine, the “fen” in the notorious 1990s diet pill cocktail fen-phen. Fen-phen was pulled from the market in 1997 – less than 18 months after its approval – after being linked to potentially life-threatening heart valve problems in up to one in three patients treated with the drug.

How has the FDA responded to this issue?

On February 13, 2020, the FDA called for the withdrawal of Belviq and Belviq XR from the U.S. market. According to the FDA, one additional cancer diagnosis was observed per 470 patients taking Belviq for one year.

Cancers most often linked to Belviq use include:

• Pancreatic cancer
• Colorectal cancer
• Lung cancer

Belviq users may also be at increased risk for other cancers including liver cancer and leukemia. Belviq was also linked to a higher rate of cancer-related death, as well as multiple primary tumors and metastatic disease.

The FDA is recommending that people stop taking Belviq and talk to their doctor about alternative weight loss treatments and programs after long-term safety studies found that patients taking Belviq had a higher occurrence of cancers, including pancreatic cancer, colorectal cancer, and lung cancer, compared to people taking a placebo. The FDA is not recommending special screening for patients who have taken Belviq diet pills. However, as with any individual, regardless of prior Belviq treatment, standard screening recommendations for cancer should be followed.

Where does that leave me?

If the federal government will not properly address this issue, then we will. We use the courts, the legal process and our society’s desire to make the serious injury victims whole as our weapons.

Big Pharma has deep pockets, but we have the expertise and a track record of success. We are not afraid to take on big fights and push back against the greedy pharmaceutical company that caused you harm.

Are you ready to pursue justice and get financially compensated for your injuries caused by Belviq? Contact us today for a free case evaluation.