Meridia weight loss pill is the first orally administered serotonin and noradrenaline reuptake inhibitor (SNRI) that has been used for the management of obesity. On March 19, 2002, the consumer advocacy group Public Citizen filed a petition for the FDA ban of the weight loss pill Meridia. Studies performed on Meridia weight loss pill show that there is an average 6.5 lbs lost in a year’s time, and during the second year the majority of people regain the weight and gain the entire weight back if stopping drug use. There is also evidence that Meridia weight loss pill increases blood pressure, which is an especially serious side effect for obese patients, as well as increases a person’s heart rate.

While Abbott claims any weight loss that Meridia can provide, an obese patient would be expected to decrease the risk of heart disease and death, Public Citizen Director, Sidney Wolfe claims, “There is no evidence that this drug has prolonged the life of a single patient, or reduced the risks of strokes or heart attacks tied to obesity.” The introduction of Meridia weight loss pill to the U.S. market was long anticipated after diet drug fen phen was recalled in 1997. Meridia’s marketing strategy began as a preemptive strike to critics by saying that the drugs are very different from fen phen. Meridia weight loss pill was approved despite the safety concerns that their own scientific advisers objected to.

When Meridia weight loss pill was released, the FDA warned that there are increases in blood pressure and pulse rates that endanger patients with hypertension or certain heart conditions. Wolfe also points out that when Meridia weight loss pill was approved, the FDA advisory committee voted 5-4 against approving it. One year later, the FDA overruled the committee and Meridia was approved. While Abbott states they are very confident their weight loss pill Meridia will not be taken off the market, Wolfe predicts otherwise. Abbott has continued to maintain that:

• Obesity is a major U.S. health problem associated with a significantly increased risk of diabetes, heart disease, and premature death.
• Loss of 5-10% of body weight significantly reduces the incidence of morbidity and mortality in obese patients.
• Meridia weight loss pill in combination with diet and exercise is effective in producing and maintaining weight loss of 5-10% in the majority of obese patients studied.
• Meridia weight loss pill is safe when used as indicated based on extensive analyses of the 12,000 patients involved in clinical trials of the drug and the 8.5 million patients treated with the weight loss pill worldwide during the last five years.

Meridia’s weight loss pill labels warn against some potentially very serious cardiovascular side effects that have been identified. The label warns against individuals with already elevated blood pressure taking Meridia because of the risk of elevating blood pressure and heart rate. There have been questions of whether or not the side effects of Meridia weight loss pill have been associated to the recent deaths are due to inappropriate patient selection, but others have found sibutramine causes increased blood pressure in patients who have normal blood pressure. The FDA will now be considering Public Citizen’s petition and determine if the side effects of Meridia weight loss pill are acceptable or if the safety issues outweigh the benefits.

The FDA will now be considering Public Citizen’s petition and determine if the side effects of Meridia weight loss pill are acceptable or if the safety issues outweigh the benefits.