Consumer Advocacy Group Points to Risks of Meridia and Urges an FDA Ban
The consumer advocacy group Public Citizen is petitioning the government to ban the popular weight loss pill Meridia. A recent 10,000 patient study, also known as the SCOUT study, showed that a higher risk of heart attack, stroke, and death are associated with the drug. Meridia is used by about 250,000 people, and it is prescribed to treat obesity by acting as an appetite suppressant.
The FDA had previously rejected a petition by Public Citizen in 2002 to ban the drug, stating that it wanted to wait until the 10,000 patient study was completed. Public Citizen stated that 84 deaths have been associated with Meridia as of June 2009. Speaking on behalf of the group, Dr. Sidney Wolfe stated in a letter to the FDA, “We would hope the science behind the results seen in this study would mandate the only appropriate FDA action to protect the public health: immediate removal of ‘Meridia’ from the market.”
Although the FDA has not issued a warning yet, a decision on whether or not to regulate the drug is likely to come soon.