Safety Overview: Belviq Weight Loss Drugs

Weight loss pills are a popular product but raise concerns about weight loss pill side effects. One company making weight loss drugs has been thrust into the national spotlight over concerns that about side effects of Belviq diet pills.

The weight loss pills are the first of their kind to be approved in the last 13 years, but some patients are at risk of developing serious side effects.

How Does Belviq Work?

Belviq is a serotonin 2C receptor agonist that is used to treat patients who have a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher. It is often recommended for use in conjunction with exercise and calorie reduction.

Patients with a BMI of 27 or higher and who also suffer from a weight-related condition like high cholesterol or high blood pressure might also qualify to use this treatment.Specifically, the drug may have been used in people who haven’t been able to lose weight or maintain weight loss by traditional methods such as diet, exercise, or lifestyle changes.

The drug works to promote weight loss by changing the way that the body regulates weight and suppressing a patient’s appetite. Belviq reportedly works by changing the way that serotonin signals in the body which makes you feel more full.

Belviq Weight Loss Pill Side Effects

As with most medicines, Belviq weight loss drugs carry a risk of side effects. While the majority of these side effects are mild and rare, others are more serious and should prompt a patient to get immediate medical attention.

Some of the milder side effects include slow heartbeat, mental issues, low blood sugar, feeling tired, dizziness, cough, back pain, dry mouth, vomiting, and more. There are also concerns that this medicine causes tumors in animals and that it might generate heart-valve defects in humans.

Those same heart concerns came up with a similar medication that was ultimately removed from the market in 1997.

A recent trial showed that a number of different kinds of cancer impacted patients who were taking Belviq, including lung cancer, pancreatic cancer, and colorectal cancer.

Although the study found better weight loss and similar cardiovascular outcomes after three years, patients were reportedly at a higher risk of cancers after five years. Compared with the placebo group of patients in a 12,000 patient sample, patients using Belviq had a 7.7 percent risk of cancer while the placebo group had a 7.1 chance of developing cancer during the same period.

Are Weight Loss Pills Bad for You?

Weight loss pills can be risky, especially considering that many of them have side effects that are not publicized until after people have developed problems. A person considering weight loss drugs should consult with a doctor to determine whether or not the benefits of a weight loss pill outweigh the potential risks.

As a result of the concerns over the safety of Belviq and its potential connection to cancer, Belviq and Belviq XR were voluntarily recalled from the market as shared in an FDA announcement.

“As noted in a new Drug Safety Communication issued today, patients should stop using the medication Belviq and Belviq XR (lorcaserin) and talk to their health care professionals about other treatment options for weight loss,” said Janet Woodcock, director of the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, according to CNN.

Eisai, the manufacturer of Belviq, reportedly maintains that the weight loss drug has a “positive benefit risk profile” but has agreed with the FDA’s assessment that the “potential risk of cancer associated with the drug outweighs the benefit of treatment.”

The FDA hasn’t recommended special screening for Belviq patients but has encouraged patients to speak with their health professionals about alternative treatments. Similarly, healthcare workers have been encouraged to communicate the risks to their patients and help work towards an alternative treatment plan.

How to File a Belviq Weight Loss Drug Lawsuit

Individuals who experienced side effects from Belviq are encouraged to report their experiences to the FDA’s MedWatch program. However, patients may also be eligible to take legal action.

According to some weight loss drugs studies regarding Belviq’s efficacy, the drug may help people lose at least 5 percent of their body weight over the course of a year.

At least one woman has filed a lawsuit against the manufacturer of Belviq due to negative health side effects she believes may be associated with the drug. New York plaintiff Barbara Z. filed her lawsuit in March 2020, citing claims that the manufacturer may have known of the possibility that taking Belviq could result in the development of dangerous conditions such as cancer, and pushed the drug to the market despite this knowledge.

She claims that although the drug has since been removed from the market, the damage may already have been done to countless victims. Additionally, as the drug may cost around $300 a month and is not covered by most insurance policies, the manufacturer may have had the incentive to ignore information that could potentially have led to the drug’s removal from the market at an earlier date.

Eisai Inc, which produces Belviq, has disputed these claims. According to the manufacturer, more than 30 trials involving 22,100 patients have been conducted in connection to Belviq, and there has been extensive research into the drug’s safety.

Although it is unknown whether she herself suffered from life-threatening side effects such as cancer or heart defects, Barbara is seeking damages for deceptive acts and false advertising, breach of implied warranty, unjust enrichment, and fraud.

If you were recently diagnosed with cancer and believe that it might have been tied to your use of the Belviq weight loss drugs, gather all of your most recent medical records and review when and for how long you used this medicine.

Someone who has already developed medical conditions due to serous weight loss pill side effects should have their case evaluated by an experienced attorney. Top Class Actions can help you connect with a qualified lawyer to discuss your options and decide your next steps regarding a Belviq lawsuit.