New York Meridia Recall Lawyers

It is estimated that almost 9 Million people in 70 countries have used the diet drug MERIDIA, also known as sibutranine, which is manufactured by Abbott Laboratories.

On March 19, 2002, a consumer group petitioned the Food and Drug Administration ("FDA") to remove Meridia from the market, claiming it is "unacceptably dangerous." According to the petition, there have been almost 400 serious adverse reactions reported to the FDA since Meridia was put on the market 1998. These serious reactions include close to 30 deaths, over 150 patients hospitalized and almost 150 patients with arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat). Of the almost 30 deaths, 19 died of cardiovascular causes including 10 people under the age of 50, three of whom were women under the age of 30.

The FDA estimates that approximately 20,000 Meridia prescriptions are filled in the United States each week. In 1997, before receiving FDA approval, an FDA advisory committee voted 5-4 that the benefits of Meridia did not outweigh its risks. The FDA medical officer who reviewed the drug wrote that Meridia "has an unsatisfactory risk-benefit ratio and therefore this Reviewer recommends non-approval of the original submission." The concern of both the advisory committee and the FDA medical officer was based on evidence that Meridia significantly increases blood pressure and heart rate in many people, while the average weight loss in obese people taking the drug for one year was only 6.5 pounds greater than the weight loss of those taking a placebo.

According to Abbott Laboratories there have been 34 deaths reported worldwide in patients using Meridia since the first clinical trials began: 28 in the United States, 2 in Italy, 2 in Britain, 1 in South Africa and 1 in Switzerland.

On March 8, 2002, the Italian Health Ministry suspended the sale of Meridia (a/k/a Reductil, Reduxade and Ectiva) following 50 reports of adverse events. According to British Department of Health, over 200 patients taking Meridia reported adverse reactions, including 2 deaths. In December 2001, Britain's Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin warned that Meridia had limited benefits and dangerous side effects. French drug regulators have also reported receiving almost 100 cases of side effects.

Adverse side effects include: Pulmonary Hypertension, Seizures, Gallstones, Renal/Hepatic Dysfunction, Interference With Cognitive and Motor Performance, headache, backache, flu-syndrome, abdominal pain, chest pain, neck pain, dry mouth, anorexia, insomnia and constipation. If you are currently taking the diet drug Meridia and are experiencing any of these symptoms, please see your doctor immediately.

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