Belviq Recall Lawsuits

Background information on Belviq recall lawsuits and litigation updates published between 2020 to 2022.

Belviq Recall Lawsuit Overview

The Belviq litigation involved claims that the prescription weight loss drug lorcaserin, manufactured by Eisai Inc. and marketed by Arena Pharmaceuticals, increased the risk of cancer among users.

Approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2012, Belviq was promoted as a safe and effective aid for chronic weight management. However, post-marketing studies later revealed higher rates of pancreatic, colorectal, and lung cancers in patients taking the medication compared to those given a placebo, raising serious concerns about its long-term safety.

As reports circulated, lawsuits were filed nationwide alleging that Eisai and Arena failed to properly test Belviq before its approval and concealed evidence of cancer risks that surfaced during clinical trials. Plaintiffs claimed the companies continued to market the drug aggressively despite knowing that early studies showed potential carcinogenic signals. In 2020, the FDA requested a voluntary recall of Belviq and Belviq XR, citing data from a large-scale clinical study that confirmed the increased incidence of cancer among users.

The litigation focused on whether the manufacturers placed profits over patient safety by keeping the drug on the market while minimizing known dangers. Dozens of product liability lawsuits were consolidated in federal court, with claims seeking compensation for individuals diagnosed with cancer after taking Belviq.

Belviq Litigation Updates

August 1, 2022: Settlement Discussions Underway in Belviq Cancer Lawsuits

Reports indicated that early settlement discussions had begun between plaintiffs and the manufacturers of Belviq. The talks followed several years of litigation claiming the weight loss drug caused various cancers, including pancreatic, breast, and colorectal. No formal agreement was reached, but negotiations suggested potential movement toward resolution.

March 28, 2022: Belviq Colon Cancer Lawsuit Proceeds in Federal Court

A federal judge allowed a lawsuit to continue involving a plaintiff who developed colon cancer after taking Belviq. The complaint accused Eisai Inc. and Arena Pharmaceuticals of failing to warn about cancer risks before the drug’s recall. The case added to the growing number of individual Belviq injury claims nationwide.

January 6, 2022: Belviq Class Action Lawsuit Dismissed

A proposed class action seeking refunds for Belviq users was dismissed by the court. The judge ruled that economic damages claims did not satisfy class certification standards, although personal injury cases continued separately. The decision narrowed the scope of litigation but left product liability lawsuits intact.

May 26, 2021: Belviq Cancer Lawsuits Proceed Without MDL Consolidation

The U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation denied requests to consolidate Belviq cases into a single MDL. Judges determined the number of lawsuits was not yet sufficient to justify centralization. As a result, claims continued independently in multiple federal courts.

November 11, 2020: Oral Arguments Held on Belviq MDL Request

The Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation heard oral arguments regarding the potential creation of a Belviq MDL. Plaintiffs argued that centralized proceedings would improve efficiency for cases involving similar cancer allegations. The defendants opposed consolidation, citing differing facts among claimants.

September 24, 2020: Motion Filed to Centralize Belviq Lawsuits

Plaintiffs’ lawyers filed a motion requesting that all federal Belviq cancer lawsuits be consolidated for coordinated pretrial proceedings. The filing came as the number of cases grew following the FDA’s February 2020 recall of the drug. Attorneys argued centralization would reduce conflicting rulings and duplicative discovery.

June 23, 2020: Third Belviq Breast Cancer Lawsuit Filed

A third woman filed a lawsuit alleging she developed breast cancer after using Belviq for weight loss. The complaint claimed Eisai and Arena Pharmaceuticals failed to warn about carcinogenic risks linked to lorcaserin, the drug’s active ingredient. Similar lawsuits continued to emerge following the recall.

April 13, 2020: Belviq Cancer Lawsuits Begin Moving Forward

The first lawsuits were filed after the FDA requested Belviq’s withdrawal from the market due to increased cancer rates in clinical trial participants. Plaintiffs alleged the drug was defectively designed and inadequately tested. Attorneys predicted the litigation would expand as awareness grew among former users.

Belviq Research and Reports

June 7, 2021: Belviq Cancer Recall Raises Questions About FDA Approval Process

Following the Belviq recall, new reports questioned whether the FDA overlooked early cancer risk signals during the drug’s approval process. Critics argued that lorcaserin’s approval relied on limited evidence of safety and efficacy, highlighting systemic weaknesses in post-marketing surveillance.

January 12, 2021: FDA Review Finds Cancer Risks Among Weight Loss Drugs

Federal regulators reviewed the safety profiles of prescription weight loss drugs, including Belviq, after studies linked lorcaserin to higher rates of several cancers. The findings prompted calls for stronger clinical oversight and more robust long-term safety studies before future obesity treatments are approved.

September 28, 2020: Belviq Cancer Warnings Confirmed in Long-Term Trial Results

Data from a large clinical study confirmed an increased cancer incidence among Belviq users compared to placebo. The FDA cited the findings as evidence that the risks outweighed the drug’s modest weight loss benefits. Researchers noted a particular rise in pancreatic, colorectal, and lung cancers.

August 11, 2020: Belviq and Belviq XR Pulled From Market Over Cancer Risks

Eisai Inc. voluntarily withdrew Belviq and Belviq XR after the FDA determined the drugs posed an unreasonable cancer risk. The agency advised users to stop taking the medication immediately and consult their doctors about alternatives. The recall marked a major setback for prescription diet drugs.

February 17, 2020: Reports Highlight Belviq Cancer Problems After Market Withdrawal

In the weeks following the FDA’s announcement, health experts raised concerns that Belviq’s cancer warnings came too late. Analysts pointed to post-marketing surveillance data showing early signs of risk that were not acted upon swiftly enough.

February 13, 2020: Belviq Recall Issued Due to Increased Cancer Risk

The FDA announced a nationwide recall of Belviq and Belviq XR after a five-year study showed users faced higher rates of multiple cancers. Officials urged patients to discontinue use immediately, stating that the potential dangers outweighed any weight loss benefits.

December 12, 2019: Public Citizen Calls for Cancer Warning on Belviq

The consumer advocacy group Public Citizen petitioned the FDA to issue a formal cancer warning for Belviq. The request followed early data suggesting a possible link between the drug’s active ingredient and tumor formation in long-term users.

May 15, 2012: Public Citizen Urges FDA to Reject Belviq Approval Over Safety Concerns

Before its approval, Public Citizen warned that Belviq’s clinical data showed potential cancer risks similar to earlier diet drugs withdrawn from the market. The group advised the FDA to deny the manufacturer’s application, citing insufficient evidence of long-term safety.

Belviq Lawsuit Examples

August 1, 2022: Belviq Class Action Filed Over Recall and Cancer Risk

A nationwide class action lawsuit was filed seeking refunds and damages for consumers who purchased Belviq prior to its recall. Plaintiffs claimed Eisai Inc. and Arena Pharmaceuticals failed to warn that the drug’s active ingredient, lorcaserin, could increase the risk of developing several forms of cancer.

July 14, 2022: Belviq Colon Cancer Lawsuit Filed After FDA Recall

A former Belviq user filed a lawsuit alleging she developed colon cancer following regular use of the drug. The complaint claimed the manufacturers knew or should have known about the carcinogenic risks identified in clinical studies but concealed this information from doctors and consumers.

April 18, 2022: Belviq Breast Cancer Lawsuit Alleges Failure to Warn

A woman who was diagnosed with breast cancer after taking Belviq for weight management filed suit against Eisai Inc. and Arena Pharmaceuticals. The lawsuit alleged that the companies ignored early warning signs of cancer and continued marketing the drug as a safe and effective treatment.

February 28, 2022: Belviq Colorectal Cancer Lawsuit Added to Growing Litigation

A Belviq colorectal cancer lawsuit was filed claiming long-term use of the medication caused the plaintiff’s cancer diagnosis. The lawsuit added to a growing wave of personal injury claims following the FDA’s determination that Belviq posed an unreasonable risk to users.

November 22, 2021: Belviq Pancreatic Cancer Lawsuit Filed in Federal Court

A man filed a lawsuit alleging that his pancreatic cancer diagnosis resulted from exposure to Belviq’s active ingredient, lorcaserin. The case joined similar claims asserting that the drug’s link to cancer was evident years before it was withdrawn from the market.

September 29, 2021: Belviq Parotid Gland Cancer Lawsuit Filed

A new product liability lawsuit was filed involving a Belviq user diagnosed with parotid gland cancer. The complaint alleged that the cancer was directly related to long-term ingestion of lorcaserin and that the manufacturers failed to provide adequate cancer risk warnings.

June 9, 2021: Belviq Thyroid Cancer Lawsuit Filed in U.S. District Court

Plaintiffs alleged that Belviq use led to the development of thyroid cancer, claiming the drug was defectively designed and marketed without adequate safety testing. The complaint pointed to data from long-term studies showing elevated cancer rates among users.

February 24, 2021: Second Belviq Thyroid Cancer Lawsuit Filed After Recall

A second lawsuit involving thyroid cancer was filed, expanding the scope of litigation to include multiple types of cancer diagnoses. The plaintiff alleged she would never have taken Belviq had accurate cancer warnings been provided before the FDA recall.

December 18, 2020: Belviq Breast Cancer Lawsuit Alleges Manufacturers Ignored Data

Another former Belviq user filed suit alleging that the drug caused her to develop breast cancer. The complaint accused Eisai and Arena Pharmaceuticals of deliberately concealing evidence of tumor growth found in early pre-approval trials.

May 20, 2020: Belviq Class Action Lawsuit Filed After Cancer Recall

Consumers filed a class action following the FDA’s recall of Belviq, seeking compensation for financial losses and medical monitoring. The plaintiffs claimed the drug makers knew about potential cancer risks for years but continued promoting Belviq as safe.

April 7, 2020: Belviq Thyroid Cancer Lawsuit Links Drug to Recall Findings

A plaintiff diagnosed with thyroid cancer filed a lawsuit alleging her condition was caused by Belviq use. The filing referenced the FDA’s safety alert and claimed the companies failed to warn of the elevated cancer rates reported in clinical trials.

March 10, 2020: Belviq Kidney Cancer Lawsuit Filed After FDA Recall

A kidney cancer lawsuit was filed in federal court by a woman who had taken Belviq for several years. The complaint stated that she was never informed about the potential link between the drug and the development of various cancers.

March 3, 2020: Belviq Diet Pill Brain Cancer Lawsuit Filed

A lawsuit filed in early 2020 alleged that prolonged Belviq use caused a plaintiff’s brain cancer diagnosis. The claim cited long-term toxicity concerns and insufficient safety testing before FDA approval.

February 27, 2020: Belviq Colorectal Cancer Lawsuit Filed After FDA Warning

A wrongful death lawsuit was filed on behalf of a deceased Belviq user who developed colorectal cancer. The complaint accused the manufacturers of concealing critical safety data that could have prevented exposure and subsequent illness.