Weight Loss Drug Belviq Could Increase Risk of Cancer, FDA Warns

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Food and Drug Administration has warned that Arena Pharmaceutical’s weight management drug Belviq (lorcaserin) could increase the risk of cancer.

In a Jan. 14 MedWatch Safety Alert, the agency explained that the cause of cancer is uncertain, and that it cannot conclude that lorcaserin contributes to the cancer risk.

The FDA says it is “continuing to evaluate the clinical trial results and will communicate our final conclusions and recommendations when we have completed our review.”

Lorcaserin was approved by FDA in 2012 for use with a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity to help weight …