Sibutramine is a controlled substance drug known as an oral anorexiant. It is a form of medication known as an appetite suppressant, which works by acting on the appetite control centers in the brain to decrease appetite. It was previously marketed and prescribed by physicians as part of the treatment for weight loss, and was used in combination with a reduced calorie diet and exercise to help people who are overweight lose weight and maintain their weight loss.
In 2008, the United States Food and Drug Administration issued an alert to consumers naming 27 different products marketed as dietary supplements for weight loss that contained illegal and undisclosed amounts of sibutramine. By 2010, the manufacturer of sibutramine had withdrawn the drug from the market altogether after study showed an increased risk of stroke and other cardiovascular problems in persons who were prescribed the medication. The manufacturer had performed a study at the request of the Food and Drug Administration, which ultimately demonstrated a 16% increase in the risk for serious cardiovascular events such as heart attack, stroke, myocardial infarction, and death. Sibutramine is not supposed to be prescribed or sold in the United States, and if “off the market.”
Unfortunately, sibutramine continues to appear on the market, mostly in products that are marketed as dietary supplements for weight loss. Just recently, on October 18, 2011, the Food and Drug Administration issued alerts to consumers advising them not to use or purchase several products that were found to contain sibutramine. The agency issued alerts advising consumers to avoid the products known as "Magic Slim,” “Advanced Slim 5” and “Magic Slim Tea” because they were all found to contain the illegal drug sibutramine.
It is illegal and extremely dangerous for manufacturers of so-called "dietary supplements" to mix sibutramine in their products, and it is unfortunate that some unscrupulous manufacturers continue to do so. If you or someone you know has been injured by sibutramine, please contact us to discuss your legal rights.