FDA warns weight-loss drug Belviq may carry cancer risk
Kathmandu, January 19
The Food and Drug Administration of the U.S. alerted the public that the prescription weight-loss drug Belviq may be associated with an increased risk of cancer, though it's unclear how big of a risk that might be.
As per the NBC News, the FDA published the alert saying that a clinical trial assessing the medication's safety showed a "possible increased risk of cancer." Belviq is also known in its generic form as lorcaserin.
"The cause of the cancer is uncertain, and we cannot conclude that lorcaserin contributes to the cancer risk," said the alert. "However, we wanted to make the public aware of this potential risk. We are continuing to evaluate the clinical trial results and will communicate our final conclusions and recommendations when we have completed our review."
It was reported that the FDA approved Belviq in 2012 as a prescription drug to help overweight and obese adults lose weight. It works by making people feel full, as per the NBC News.
However, the drug's manufacturer, Eisai's study raised FDA concerns as the company's study tracked about 12,000 participants who took either the medication or a placebo over a five-year period.
"More patients taking lorcaserin were diagnosed with cancer compared to patients taking placebo, which is an inactive treatment. Our evaluation of this potential signal is ongoing, and at this time it is uncertain if lorcaserin increases the risk of cancer," the alert said.
