The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently reprimanded Abbott Laboratories for failing to properly report to the agency several deaths linked to its diet drug Meridia. In a letter made public yesterday, the FDA informed Abbott that it improperly reported seven deaths linked to Meridia and failed to inform the government entirely of one death associated with the drug's use. The FDA is currently investigating whether the drug was responsible for the deaths.

Interest group Public Citizen is currently seeking the immediate ban of Meridia and recently asked Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson to bring criminal charges against Abbott for illegally withholding information regarding the diet medication. In March, Italy's Pharmaceutical Commission suspended the sale of Meridia after fifty "adverse events" were linked to the drug.