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Meridia Class Action Lawsuits Information
When fen phen was recalled in 1997, dieters anxiously awaited
the new diet pill despite the high number of deaths and serious,
life-threatening side effects it caused, and Meridia’s 1998 approval was just
that. To date, there has failed to exist a diet pill that has been considered
safe and effective, but Meridia was still successful with nearly two million
prescriptions written for the diet pill in just one year alone. Meridia was
approved one year after the FDA’s own advisory committed voted against the
approval of Meridia 5-4 because of the risks associated to the diet pill.
Immediately, marketing strategies emerged that focused on differentiating
Meridia from fen phen. Despite claims of a safer diet pill, reports of serious
and deadly Meridia side effects were made, leading Public Citizen watchdog group
to file a petition to the FDA requesting Meridia be removed from the market in
March 2002. There have been at least 29 Meridia related deaths as well as
cardiovascular problems. From February 1998 to September 2001 alone, there were
nearly 400 serious Meridia adverse reactions reported.
The reports of Meridia side effects did not seem to influence the popularity of
the drug with around 8.5 million people worldwide using Meridia. Some critics
feel drug companies have taken advantage of one of the most eager and large
consumer groups when promoting diet pills with deadly side effects, such as
Meridia. The FDA demanded Meridia manufacturer Abbott Laboratories make changes
in advertising and promotional materials because they suggested Meridia was more
effective than evidence shows.
Meridia Side Effects
Meridia side effects have included death and cardiovascular
events. There has been seemingly little concern over possible diet pill side
effects, including Meridia side effects amongst the vast pool of dieting
Americans. Even though Meridia manufacturer Abbott Laboratories showed concern
over potential consumer aversion to diet pills because of the fen phen debacle,
people did not appear affected by potential Meridia side effects.
Abbott immediately claimed Meridia side effects were not deadly and serious like
fen phen, but as Meridia was first introduced to the market reports of deadly
Meridia side effects were made. In addition to death, Meridia side effects were
serious cardiovascular events. A year before the FDA approved Meridia the
advisory committee voted against allowing the diet pill to enter the market
because of concern that there would be troubling Meridia side effects. There
have been at least 29 U.S. Meridia side effect deaths reported, with the
majority of the deaths resulting from Meridia side effects of cardiovascular
origin.
More Meridia Information
According to information on Meridia, the FDA’s own advisory
committee did not wholly support the agency’s approval of the diet pill. One
year before the FDA allowed Meridia onto the U.S. market the committee voted 5-4
against it because of their concerns with the available information on Meridia
showing potentially troublesome effects. The advisory committee’s vote may have
predicted the information on Meridia that would follow in the years of serious
adverse effects.
When the information on Meridia death and serious side effects came to the
attention of Italian officials, the country placed a temporary ban on Meridia.
In the U.S., the Public Citizen consumer group petitioned the FDA for the
immediate ban of Meridia in response to the surfacing information on Meridia
showing deadly effects suffered. The group later asked that criminal charges be
brought against Meridia’s manufacturer when finding the company failed to
provide information on Meridia that was legally required. The exemption of
information on Meridia involved a Meridia death.
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