Meridia Wins

As much as we must dislike the product in question... we certainly don't try to sue Ford every time someone misuses a Mustang... we don't sue Smith and Wesson every time someone misuses a gun. These are inherently dangerous things that have to be used responsibly. There has to be good evidence before courts will go around crippling companies. This precedent could easily be used for any product, not just a weight loss drug. I'm not familiar with the evidence that the prosecution brought to bear on this case, nor any evidence used to defend the company. I think getting the word out that Meridia can be dangerous is a better path than punishing the company directly.

Regardless of how many people are killed by this drug, many people will choose to take it because the constant message that FAT IS BAD! FAT KILLS! FAT IS DISGUSTING! is screamed from every media outlet 24/7. A large percentage of the population would be more willing to live a short life as a thin person than a long life as a fat one.

Wrong Micki. BFB is one media outlet that isn't constantly saying FAT IS BAD ;-) I agree with you that the issue isn't the company or their reprehensible practises, but rather that society tolerates, or even encourages the 'thin at any cost' mantra. If people's attitudes change, then this drug will dry up and vanish, even if it were some weight loss panacea. Of course, far be it from me to tell people what sort of dangers they choose to persue in their own lives. If you want to smoke 8 packs a day, go ahead. If you want to be rail thin and have the heartbeat of a hummingbird, knock yourself out. Just open your eyes, keep it to yourself and leave me out of it.

I took Meridia for a month : / Back in I think '98 - I was 25, and my blood pressure got really high really quick, then (luckily for me) normalized again when I went off it (which was soon). Obviously I was in a different place then compared to now, but even so I wondered how having sky high BP could possibly help me when as a unmedicated fat woman my BP is quite healthy and low. Of course I took the drug because I wanted to look thin. That is the only excuse I can think of for artificially raising one's blood pressure, they can't claim losing weight is for "health" when such a blatant contradiction exists. Oh, and FYI I'm fatter now, and my BP is still low and healthy :^)

I had a dream last night after reading this that I went to public spaces and tried to warn everyone about the dangers of weight loss pharmaceuticals-- especially Meridia. The dream really brought home my feelings of helplessness when fatphobia actually harms and kills people. Even though I know I'm not helpless and I'm actually doing everything I can think of to combat fatphobia on a small and large scale.