Belviq Lawsuit: The Weight-Loss Drug Cancer Claims

The FDA Withdrawal

Belviq (lorcaserin) was a prescription weight-loss drug approved in 2012. In February 2020, the FDA asked its maker, Eisai, to voluntarily pull Belviq and Belviq XR from the US market — an unusual step — after a long safety trial the agency had required showed more cases of cancer among people taking the drug than those on a placebo. The signal pointed to cancers including colorectal, pancreatic and lung. The FDA concluded the potential risks outweighed the modest weight-loss benefit and advised patients to stop taking it.

It is worth being precise: the trial showed a statistical association, not proof that the drug caused any particular person’s cancer — a distinction that matters in both science and the courtroom.

The Litigation

After the withdrawal, former users began filing lawsuits alleging that Belviq was unreasonably dangerous and that its makers marketed it as safe while failing to adequately warn of a cancer risk. Unlike some mass torts, these cases have not been consolidated into a single federal multidistrict litigation; they are proceeding individually in various state and federal courts. The litigation is at an early stage — there have been no major public verdicts, though some individual claims have reportedly been resolved on confidential terms.

Because each case turns on an individual’s exposure and diagnosis, outcomes vary widely, and proving causation for a specific cancer is a significant hurdle.

What Former Users Should Know

If you took Belviq and have been diagnosed with cancer, focus first on your medical care and keep records of your prescription history and diagnosis. Do not assume the drug caused a cancer — that is a medical and legal question — and be skeptical of advertising that promises payouts. If you are still taking any withdrawn medication, talk to your doctor about alternatives rather than stopping abruptly.