Meridia Litigation on the Launching Pad

photo-2icTendiche diet drug Meridia (sibutramine) is receiving close attention from lawyers as a topic of personal injury litigation because diet drugs are a favorite amongst these attorneys. Since Public Citizen petitioned the FDA to recall Meridia in March 2002, an avalanche of litigious interest predictably ensued. Interest was further stoked by calls from Public Citizen for a criminal investigation of Meridia sponsor Abbott because they failed to file adverse event reports via Medwatch, the FDA Safety Information and Adverse Event Reporting Program, in some cases including at least one death.

Epidemiological questions remain to be answered before the …