Belviq and risk of cancer linked

The Food and Drug Administration alerted the public on Jan 14, 2020, that a clinical trial has showed a possible increased risk of cancer. Belviq is a prescription drug to help overweight and obese adults lose weight. Belviq was approved by the FDA in 2012.

“The cause of the cancer is uncertain, and we cannot conclude that lorcaserin contributes to the cancer risk,” the alert said. “However, we wanted to make the public aware of this potential risk. We are continuing to evaluate the clinical trial results and will communicate our final conclusions and recommendations when we have completed our review.”

The study that raised FDA concerns comes from the drug’s manufacturer, Eisai. The company study tracked about 12,000 participants who took either the medication or a placebo over a five-year period.

“More patients taking lorcaserin were diagnosed with cancer compared to patients taking placebo, which is an inactive treatment. Our evaluation of this potential signal is ongoing, and at this time it is uncertain if lorcaserin increases the risk of cancer,” the alert said.