What is the manufacturers response to the petition to ban Meridia?
Every year, an estimated 300,000 Americans die from obesity-related illnesses costing the United States an estimated $117 billion annually. With insurers increasingly willing to pay for preventative treatments, pharmaceutical companies are under increasing pressure to develop a new miracle weight-loss drug, which could potentially generate an enormous profit. Abbott Laboratories dispute the validity of the FDA’s statistics that link patient deaths to Meridia, and also argues that obese people are already at risk for heart problems and high blood pressure. Spokespersons for Abbott have also stated that possible side effects are clearly listed for doctors and patients.
