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drug_recall meridiaWhat is Meridia weight loss pill?
Meridia weight loss pill (sibutramine) is an oral prescription medication that is used to manage obesity through weight loss and the maintenance of weight loss. Meridia weight loss pill is the first orally administered serotonin and noradrenaline reuptake inhibitor (SNRI) that has been used for the management of obesity.
How does Meridia weight loss pill work?
Sibutramine is supposed to aid weight loss by affecting appetite control centers in the brain to reduce food intake by increasing satiety.
What are side effects of Meridia weight loss pill?
Meridia weight loss pill is under FDA review in response to the petition filed by consumer advocacy group Public Citizen to immediately ban the sales of sibutramine. This action was prompted by the 29 deaths and hundreds of serious Meridia side effects that have been reported. The side effects that Meridia weight loss pills have been associated to are serious and deadly. In Meridia’s patient information it warns patients about pulmonary hypertension (PPH), which is a rare and sometimes fatal disease. PPH causes high blood pressure in the lungs that leads to a feeling of constant breathlessness with minimal exertion, fatigue, dizzy spells, fainting, and chest pain, and there is no known cause of PPH.
Cardiac valve dysfunction, or heart valve disease may also be a Meridia side effect risk. Heart valve disease causes the valves in the heart to allow blood flow backwards through them. The most common Meridia side effects include, headache, dry mouth, anorexia, constipation, insomnia, increase in blood pressure, increase in heart rate, mental impairments, heart disease, stroke, seizures, and increased sweating.
Why has a petition been filed to the FDA to ban Meridia weight loss pill?
Consumer advocacy group Public Citizen submitted a petition to the FDA on March 19, 2002. The request comes after the 29 deaths and hundreds of serious Meridia side effects that have been reported which have led Public Citizen to find the risks of Meridia weight loss pill to outweigh the benefits. The FDA first approved Meridia despite their advisory board voting against it. Public Citizen also thinks that the FDA must raise the standard for approval of diet drugs and require drug makers to show an actual health benefit instead of relying on short-term studies.
Who is the Public Citizen?
Public Citizen is a national, nonprofit consumer advocacy organization founded by Ralph Nader in 1971 to represent consumer interests in Congress, the executive branch and the courts. So far, Public Citizen has petitioned for the removal of four other FDA approved drugs since 1996 and three of the drugs ended up being banned and one severely restricted. Public Citizen finds the Meridia side effects to be just as dangerous to individuals.
What is the FDA’s response to Public Citizen’s petition?
The FDA will now be considering Public Citizen’s petition and determine if the Meridia side effects are acceptable or if the safety issues outweigh the benefits. There is a Europe wide investigation on the safety of diet drug Meridia, and most recently and investigation in Canada has also been launched.
Do I have any rights if I have been injured taking Meridia weight loss pill?
Anyone who has taken Meridia and has suffered the adverse health effects associated to the weight loss pill please contact us.
What potential claims may I file?
Most cases involving a prescription drug, such as Meridia, that have dangerous side effects undisclosed will claim for negligence. Other claims may include strict liability for a defective product or for failure to warn, a breach of express warranty, or a breach of implied warranty and unjust enrichment. If you would like to speak to an expert Meridian attorney, contact us.
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