Missouri lawsuit alleges weight loss drug Belviq caused breast cancer diagnosis
A Missouri woman has filed a lawsuit against the manufacturers of Belviq (lorcaserin). The lawsuit alleges that after years of taking the weight loss drug, Amy Davis was diagnosed with breast cancer, which she alleges was caused by the medication.
According to the lawsuit she filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri, Davis was prescribed Belviq for weight loss in the Fall of 2017. She continued taking Belviq until November 2019, when she was diagnosed with breast cancer.
Belviq Recalled by the FDA Due to Cancer Risks
In the Spring of 2020, Belviq was recalled by the Food and Drug Administration after studies found that the drug was associated with an increased cancer risk. The FDA had been concern about the cancer risks of Belviq when it approved the weight loss drug in 2012, but allowed its manufacturer, Eisai Inc., to begin selling the weight loss medication on the condition that it conducted additional tests to confirm that Belviq did not cause cancer.
In early 2020, the FDA received the first results of Eisai’s study, which found evidence that patients taking Belviq or Belviq XR were more likely to be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, colorectal cancer, or lung cancer. Other studies had also suggested that Belviq could be linked to an increased risk of brain cancer and breast cancer.
After reviewing the full results of the Belviq cancer studies, the FDA ordered Eisai and Arena Pharmaceuticals (which had purchased Eisai following the release of Belviq) to recall the drug because of its increased cancer risk. In the Fall of 2020, the FDA formally withdrew its approval for Belviq and Belviq XR, stating that the cancer risks associated with the drugs outweighed any weight loss benefits they may have.
Lawsuits Filed by Belviq Users With Cancer
Following the FDA’s decision to recall Belviq, Davis filed her lawsuit against the manufacturers of the drug in Missouri. In her filing, Davis alleged that she developed breast cancer directly as a result of using Belviq. She says that as a result of her cancer diagnosis, she was forced to undergo significant medical treatment, which has severely impacted her quality of life.
Davis’s lawsuit is one of at least a dozen Belviq lawsuits that have already been filed against Eisai and Arena. However, legal experts expect that hundreds of additional claims involving the weight loss drug may be filed in the future as more patients who used Belviq are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, colorectal cancer, lung cancer, brain cancer, breast cancer, or other illnesses.
The lawsuits involving Belviq that have been filed against Arena and Eisai so far have alleged that these two drugmakers knew or should have known about the cancer risks associated with Belviq, but failed to take action to alert doctors and patients about the dangers of the drug. Although clinical trial data before Belviq was released on the market showed that Belviq users may be more likely to be diagnosed with cancer, no action was taken to protect patients from the increased cancer risks associated with Belviq until the FDA recalled the drug in 2020.
Free Legal Consultation for Belviq Users Diagnosed With Cancer
If you or a loved one were prescribed Belviq or Belviq XR for weight loss and have been diagnosed with cancer, you may qualify to file a lawsuit and receive compensation for your illness. The first step in taking legal action is to speak with an experienced pharmaceutical liability attorney, who can advise you of your legal rights and let you know if you may be eligible to file a case.
For more information about the lawsuits filed against the manufacturers of Belviq and to learn if you may qualify to take legal action, contact the lawyers at Hissey, Mulderig & Friend for a free legal consultation. You can reach our law firm by calling toll-free at 1-866-210-5686, or by filling out our free online case evaluation form located on the right side of this page.
After we receive and review your information, one of our staff members will contact you for additional information and to schedule your free consultation with one of our attorneys.