Is Meridia approved by the FDA?

Meridia (sibutramine) is approved by the FDA.

The problem is that sibutramine (the active ingredient in Meridia) has been found in some dietary supplements which are not FDA approved (including some imported from China) and the amount of the drug (or the drug itself) is not declared on the label. This makes these products potentially very dangerous - as you don't always know what you are taking or how much.

from Questions and Answers about FDA’s Initiative Against Contaminated Weight Loss Products at http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/ResourcesForYou/Consumers/QuestionsAnswers/ucm136187.htm

What is sibutramine and what are the associated risks?

Sibutramine is a Schedule IV controlled substance and the active pharmaceutical ingredient in Meridia, an approved prescription drug to treat obesity.

Some of the identified products recommend taking more than 3 times the recommended daily dosage of sibutramine. Because of this, even consumers without a history of health problems that take these high doses of sibutramine may suffer serious adverse effects if they take these products, such as increased blood pressure, tachycardia, palpitations, and seizure.

Populations who would be at increased risk of serious adverse health effects from consuming a standard dose of sibutramine include:

* Patients with a history of hypertension, especially those with uncontrolled or poorly controlled hypertension.
* Patients with a history of coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure, arrhythmias, or stroke.
* Patients with narrow angle glaucoma.
* Patients with a history of seizure.
* Patients predisposed to bleeding events and those taking concomitant medications known to affect hemostasis or platelet function.
* Patients with severe hepatic dysfunction.
* Patients concurrently taking the following medications:
o Sumatriptan
o Dihydroergotamine
o Dextromethorphan
o Meperidine,
o Pentazocine
o Fentanyl
o Lithium
o Tryptophan
o MAO inhibitors