HEALTH
Lawsuit Filed Against FenPhen Firms
(Bloomberg News)

Drug companies that make and sell two products widely used
in combination as a weightloss treatment were sued after a
Mayo Clinic report linked the treatment to serious cardiovascular
health risks. The suit, filed in U.S. District Court in San Francisco,
names American Home Products Corp., SmithKline Beecham Inc.,
Medeva Pharmaceuticals Inc. and Richwood Pharmaceuticals Co.,
among others. American Home Products' fenfluramine drug is often
used in combination with another drug, phentermine, sold by a
number of companies including Medeva, SmithKline Beecham and
RhonePoulenc Rorer Inc. The suit, filed on behalf of people who
had taken the drugs, alleges that the companies "purposefully
downplayed and understated the health hazards and risks"
associated with the drugs. The suit seeks certification as a class
action and unspecified monetary damages. Researchers from the
Mayo Clinic this week said they found evidence of unusual heart
problems in 24 patients taking the drug combination. After the
announcement, the Food and Drug Administration issued a
statement warning about the use of the socalled fenphen
combination. There was no immediate comment from the drug
companies named in the suit.

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