The obesity drug Meridia has been withdrawn from the U.S. market because of an increased risk of heart attack and stroke. Pharmaceutical giant Abbott Laboratories voluntarily agreed to pull the drug after a U.S. Food and Drug Administration review of data that showed a 16 percent increased risk for heart attack, stroke and death among people taking Meridia (sibutramine), compared with those taking a placebo.

Currently, about 100,000 people in the United States take Meridia, Dr. Gerald Dal Pan, director of FDA’s Office of Surveillance and Epidemiology, noted at the news briefing.
The FDA approved Meridia in November 1997 for weight loss and maintenance of weight loss in obese people, and in overweight people with other risks for heart disease.
In a recent editorial, the New England Journal of Medicine called Meridia “another flawed diet pill.” They note that in return for offering a weight loss of under 9 pounds — less than 5% of the body weight of the overweight participants in the study — the drug had a one-in-70 chance of causing a heart attack or stroke.

Do I have a Meridia Side Effects Lawsuit?
If you or a loved one has suffered a heart attack or stroke and were taking Meridia, contact us today to discuss your legal options. We are handling individual cases nationwide and currently accepting new cases