Meridia "Diet Drug" Investigation

We are currently investigating the weight loss drug Meridia. This drug has recently been identified as causing serious, and sometimes fatal, reactions in patients taking the prescription. According to the FDA, Meridia has been associated with 29 deaths and hundreds of adverse reactions since the drug was first marketed in February 1998.

Meridia, also known by its chemical name sibutramine, is a diet drug that works by suppressing appetite control centers in the brain. It has been described by the FDA as "minimally effective" in promoting weight loss, but is potentially dangerous since it is a schedule IV controlled substance.

Abbott Laboratories manufactures Meridia and has revealed that over 8.5 million people worldwide have taken the drug. Today, over 20,000 Meridia prescriptions are filled each week in the United States.

As Meridia prescriptions have skyrocketed and patients have begun to come forward, press coverage of Meridia's risks-to-benefits ratio has increased. Reports disclose that Meridia is associated with the following conditions:

• increased blood pressure
  
• heart palpitations
  
• chest pain
  
• other cardiovascular problems
  
• abdominal pain
  
• insomnia
  
• other amphetamine-like side effects

The primary goals of the Meridia investigation are to:

1. inform the public about the facts of Meridia use;
2. promote the awareness of potentially negative consequences associated with Meridia use; and
3. prevent the overprescription of Meridia."

If you or a family member may have suffered from negative side effects associated with Meridia or other diet drugs like Fen-phen or Redux and would like more information concerning your legal rights, we encourage you to contact an attorney at Touhy & Touhy Ltd.