Meridia

Italy has suspended the sale of weight-loss products containing sibutramine, an anti-obesity drug patented by U.S.-based Abbott Laboratories, a move which could lead to a Europe-wide review of the medicine. Italy's Health Ministry said on March 7, 2002 that it was immediately withdrawing all sibutramine products from the market due to 50 reports of health-related problems.

The drug has been linked to serious side effects which include: rapid heart rate, increased blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, seizure and mental impairments. Additionally It is believed that two women have died as a results of complications from the drug. Abbott, which markets the drug as Meridia in the United States, said that 8.6 million people have used sibutramine-based drugs since they were approved in 1997.

Although Italy was the first country to take the drugs off the market, other nation's regulatory bodies have expressed concern about sibutramine. Last December, Britain's Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin, published by the Consumers' Association, warned the weight-loss drug had limited benefits and ``unwanted'' side effects. The side effects mentioned were raised heart rates and blood pressure.

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