Qsymia Approval Raises Safety Worries
Widespread Concerns Over Qsymia Diet Drug Safety. A new prescription obesity and diet drug has been approved for use in the U.S. and like many of its predecessors, there are widespread concerns over its safety. The Food and Drug Administration this week approved Qsymia as a drug treatment for obesity. While early clinical trials … [Read more...]
Woman’s Damaged Valves Blamed on Fen-Phen
Fen-Phen May Cause Damage To Heart Valves. An Idaho woman who used the now-banned diet drug, fen-phen, had to have three of four heart valves replaced last week. According to her doctor, her use of fen-phen more than two decades ago caused damage to the valves that was beyond repair. “Unbelievable to think that my valves had just … [Read more...]
Jury Awards Diet-Drug Users $200M
Wyeth Drug May Cause Heart Problems. A Pennsylvania jury decided that two former users of Wyeth's drugs taken as part of the fen-phen diet combination deserved $200 million in damages for heart problems caused by the medicine. Jurors in state court in Philadelphia on May 24 found that Wyeth's weight-loss medicine scarred Margie … [Read more...]
Petition To Ban Diet Drug Renewed
Diet Drug Has Been Associated With Deaths. The consumer advocacy group Public Citizen said yesterday the diet drug Meridia has been associated with the deaths of 49 patients since it came on the market five years ago, as the group renewed a petition to the Food and Drug Administration to have the drug banned. Public Citizen, which … [Read more...]
Renewed Attack On Diet Drug
Diet Drug May Cause Heart Problems. A consumer group is again urging a ban of the prescription diet drug Meridia, saying at least 49 users have died of heart problems, including some in their 20s and 30s. Also, the Food and Drug Administration has 54 reports of women who suffered stillbirths, miscarriages or had babies with birth … [Read more...]
Meridia Must Be Banned
Meridia Sales Must Be Banned. A consumer group Wednesday reiterated its request that the government immediately ban sales of Meridia, a prescription diet drug. Public Citizen said in a letter to Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Mark McClellan that it reviewed the FDA's database and found 49 cases of deaths from … [Read more...]
Bechlers Widow Sues Companies
Lawsuit Against The Maker Of Xenadrine. The widow of Orioles pitcher Steve Bechler has filed a $600 million lawsuit against the maker of the ephedra-based diet drug and stimulant that was in his system when he died of heatstroke in February. Kiley Bechler and her attorney filed the suit Wednesday against Cytodyne Technologies, the … [Read more...]
AHP’s Diet-Drug Settlement Shortchanges Consumers
Diet Drug Lawsuit Settlement. American Home Products Corp.'s $3.75 billion settlement of lawsuits over its withdrawn diet drugs leaves most former users unfairly "trapped" in an agreement providing inadequate compensation, opponents of the pact told a judge. U.S. District Judge Louis Bechtle heard final arguments today about the … [Read more...]
Jury Selection In Diet Drug Case
Diet Drug Can Cause Heart Problems. A woman who blames a popular diet drug combination for her heart trouble has gone to court to take on the world's seventh-largest drug maker in a closely watched case. Opening statements were expected to begin later today in the lawsuit filed in state district court by Sandra Moore against … [Read more...]
Heart Valve Abnormalities Examined
Diet Drug May Cause Heart Valve Abnormality. In the largest study of its kind, Duke University Medical Center researchers found that the longer a person used a popular duet of diet drugs known as "fen/phen," the greater the likelihood they had a heart valve abnormality. Duke researchers said in a report prepared for the annual … [Read more...]
Weight-Loss Wars
Weight-Loss Drug Combination. Over the 1996 Memorial Day weekend, Mary Linnen celebrated her engagement with her parents. The wedding would take place in the fall, and she had worked out all the details but one: Before she bought her wedding gown, Linnen wanted to lose 20 pounds. Her physician had prescribed a new diet-drug … [Read more...]
