The Food and Drug Administration is currently investigating a weight loss pill called Meridia, and not for the first time.
In a study of 10,000 patients, the drug was apparently shown to increase cardiovascular problems in some of the users who already had heart issues. The prescription does include a warning about this, saying patients who have a history of heart problems shouldn’t take Meridia. And representatives of the manufacturer, Abbott Pharmaceuticals, said the drug was not recommended for 90 percent of the people in the study.
Still, this isn’t the first time Meridia has had to answer to the FDA. In 2005, a lobby group petitioned to get the drug banned, claiming that it caused several deaths. The FDA finally rejected this petition and allowed Abbott to continue selling Meridia. As for the current situation: sources say the FDA hasn’t yet released a decision.
