MDL Panel Rejects To Consolidate Belviq Lawsuits

MDL Panel Rejects To Consolidate Belviq Lawsuits

Introduction

A Judicial Panel has refused to centralize Belviq lawsuits against Eisai Inc. and Arena Pharmaceuticals Inc. in an MDL stating there are too few lawsuits filed against the manufacturers post the recall of the drug. 

The attorneys who are asking for consolidating the Belviq litigation claim that the lawsuits will grow into thousands in the coming days, but the fact is that only a small number of Belviq lawsuits have been filed since last 18 months when the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ordered to recall the drug from the U.S. market.

As per the court documents, the Belviq manufacturers face 12 personal injury suits and a proposed class action with similar allegations that Belviq causes cancer. The panel informed that the plaintiffs claimed the drug resulted in a variety of cancers like breast cancer, thyroid cancer, colorectal cancer, and cancer of the parotid gland.

In February 2020, the FDA ordered the removal of the drug from the market, considering clinical studies that highlighted the growing number of cancer patients.

Belviq is a weight loss drug used to treat obesity. The manufacturers conducted various studies on the animals before introducing the drug in the drug market. The studies concluded that Belviq could cause cancer and need additional testing. However, the manufacturers ignored the studies and manipulated the results of the animal studies to trick the FDA to approve the drug.

Earlier, manufacturers of Belviq, Eisai Inc., and Arena Pharmaceuticals also opposed the consolidation of the cases.