Meridia Recall
An article published by the editors of the New England Journal of Medicine has urged the Food and Drug Administration to recall Meridia due to the increased risk of heart attack and other side effects faced by users of the drug. The NEJM article was written in response to a study published in the journal which found that Meridia users were 28% more likely to suffer a heart attack and 36% more likely to have a stroke than patients who were given a placebo.
Officials with the European Medicines Agency issued a Meridia recall in January 2010 based on preliminary results concerning the cardiovascular side effects of the drug. This data also prompted the Food and Drug Administration to issue a warnings about the dangers of Meridia.
Some experts have called on the FDA to order the withdrawal of Meridia from sale in the U.S. due to its side effects risk and the poor weight loss results shown by patients treated with the diet drug. Patients in the study only lost about 5 pounds more than those who were given a placebo. Because Meridia users are more likely to suffer serious cardiovascular and heart problems, these experts believe that the risk of the drug outweighs its potential benefits.
After meeting to review the safety of Meridia, the FDA may recall the drug, restrict the types of patients who may take it or issue stronger warnings about its dangers. Although it is unknown when the FDA will announce its decision, the consumer group Public Citizen—which has twice petitioned the FDA to issue a recall of the drug—has already placed Meridia on its “Do Not Use” drugs list due to the increased risk of side effects faced by users.