The FDA recently recalled Belviq due to an association between long-term use and certain cancers. If you have taken Belviq, you may be affected.
What Is Belviq?
Lorcaserin, marketed under the brand name Belviq, is a drug that assists with weight management by reducing appetite. This is accomplished by activating a type of serotonin receptor in the hypothalamus of the drug’s users. For this reason, it has been used to treat obesity-related to diabetes, high cholesterol, or high blood pressure.
Is There a Recall on Belviq?
Yes. The FDA has issued an official request for a recall of Belviq pills as of February 13th, 2020, based on the recently completed cancer risk trials. Eisai Inc. has since announced that it will voluntarily withdraw the drug from the market and discontinue sales in the U.S. The FDA also advises patients to stop taking Belviq and Belviq XR and to reach out to their healthcare providers for alternative weight-loss medications where necessary.
Does Belviq cause cancer?
While it is not an absolute certainty, as many users may not suffer this life-altering side effect, the truthful answer is “very likely.” In 2012, when the drug was released, it was already associated with higher cancer risks. However, a 2014 study found an increased risk, although the increase did not seem significant. The larger, double-blind study completed in January of 2020 showed much more alarming results. This most recent association has been proven to appear significant enough for the FDA to request the recall of the potentially dangerous drug from the market.
However, it seems that longer-term usage appears to increase the risk of cancer even further. It has been suggested this may have contributed to the early oversight of the risks of the Belviq usage.
What Cancer Is Belviq Linked to?
Unfortunately, Belviq was designed to impact many of the body’s systems. As opposed to other drugs that target specific body chemicals that have very specific functions, this medicine targets much larger groups of chemicals. A range of different cancer types have been linked with increasing frequency to Belviq usage. The most common are:
- Pancreatic cancer
- Colorectal cancer
- Lung cancer
