Meridia banned in Europe, only gets contraindication in U.S.
Last week, European drug regulators advised doctors to stop prescribing the European equivalents of Meridia, a drug designed for weight loss. The Food and Drug Administration, on the other hand, only required a new contraindication that the drug not be used by people with a history of heart attacks or strokes, or who have uncontrolled high blood pressure. The amazing thing is the reactions by both drug regulators were due to the same data.
Raw data from a recent study indicated that people with certain health problems who took Meridia had more heart attacks, strokes, and cardiovascular problems than people getting a placebo. Europe bans the drug and America just adds a contraindication. I smell politics at work again at the FDA. The study was a first of its kind in that it tried to verify the claims of drug manufacturers that weight loss drugs, such as Meridia, could reduce cardiovascular risks. The results showed just the opposite for Meridia--it increases the risk of heart attack, stroke, and other cardiovascular problems.
Source: New York Times
Reported by Robert Kisselburgh, Mississippi Defective Prescription Drug Lawyer
