Belviq and Belviq XR (known as Lorcaserin) are weight-loss medications that are meant to help people with obesity and weight-related health issues. It curbs their hunger, thereby enabling them to potentially lose weight. Unfortunately, based on official findings, Belviq may be dangerous.
In a five-year, double-blind study of 12,000 patients, those taking Belviq were more likely to be diagnosed with cancer than those taking a placebo (sugar pill). The FDA stated, “A range of cancer types was reported, with several different types of cancers occurring more frequently in the lorcaserin group,” including:
- Pancreatic cancer
- Colorectal cancer
- Lung cancer
In January 2020, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced a recall of Belviq and Belviq XR due to this evidence linking the drug with an increased risk of cancer. Hundreds of thousands of people who thought they were doing something to improve their health were instead potentially damaging it.