Many Americans struggle with obesity, even with a healthy diet and regular exercise. In these situations, doctors may prescribe weight loss medications to help increase the effectiveness of diet and exercise regimens. The Food and Drug Administration asked for the recall of one of these drugs, Belviq, after discovering that the medication may increase colorectal, pancreatic, and lung cancer risk.
If you developed one of these three types of cancers after taking Belviq, you may be eligible for financial compensation through a lawsuit against the drug’s manufacturer, Eisai Inc.
The Link Between Belviq and Cancer
In 2012, the FDA approved Belviq to treat obesity in patients who struggle with effective weight loss. Since weight loss drugs often cause cardiovascular side effects, the agency mandated Eisai, Inc. to conduct a study on how Belviq impacted patients’ heart health.
While the study reported no impact on cardiovascular health, a disturbing trend among Belviq patients emerged. The results showed that Belviq patients had a higher rate of developing cancer than the placebo group, with incidence rates of 7.7% versus 7.1%.
Although the difference may seem small, the data points to a concerning risk of colorectal, pancreatic, and lung cancers among Belviq patients. The FDA requested Eisai, Inc. to recall Belviq from the U.S. market, which the company voluntarily complied with in February 2020.
If you used Belviq for a period of at least six months and developed one of these cancers within seven years of taking the medication, you may be eligible to file a lawsuit against Eisai, Inc. for your damages.
Potential Damages in Belviq Cancer Lawsuits
While the laws surrounding compensation vary from state to state, you can usually claim two types of damages in your claim: economic and non-economic. Economic damages involve the financial losses your cancer caused, while non-economic damages concern your physical and mental pain.
Common damages that victims of defective drugs often claim include the following.
- Medication costs
- Surgeries, doctor’s visits, and hospitalizations
- Lost wages
- Loss of future earnings
- Loss of quality of life
- Chronic pain
- Mental anguish
- Depression and anxiety
- Disability accommodations
Medical care is often the primary type of compensation drug injury victims pursue. You can collect funds for the cost of your past treatment, as well as any future costs you may incur. Your Belviq injury lawyer will work with medical experts to create a future treatment plan to help you estimate your total damages.
Hiring an Attorney for a Recall Lawsuit
Filing a claim against a drug manufacturer can be difficult alone. Hiring a Belviq recall lawyer to represent your best interest allows you to focus on your recovery, not paperwork, and ensures that your case adheres to legal standards of negligence. At Shapiro Legal Group we can help clients nationwide, including California, New York and Texas.
Proving a Belviq lawsuit can be difficult without a lawyer as well. These cases are still in their early stages and have a limited history of legal precedence due to how new this litigation is. While you may be able to pull arguments from other defective drug lawsuits, hiring a mass tort attorney will provide you access to more relevant strategies, evidence, and medical experts.
If you have not done so already, contact a lawyer working on Belviq litigation as soon as possible. Your attorney will listen to your side of the story and inform you of your best legal options, helping you take the first steps toward compensation.