Diet Drug Rejected

[Uncledaddy]

I have to admit, I've been impressed with the FDA's response to what would become an extremely lucrative product. Despite the pressure by not only the obesity epidemic but especially the billion-dollar pharm industry, the FDA is doing their job, which is to protect us. This is an example of why we need regulation and of how certain aspects of "big-gov" are necessary.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/02/bu...g.html?_r=1&hp

The Food and Drug Administration has declined to approve yet another prescription diet pill, saying the developer must first do a long-term study to demonstrate that the drug does not raise the risk of heart attacks...
The rejection of the drug continues a string of setbacks for pharmaceutical companies trying to develop medical solutions for one of the country’s most pressing health problems...
Contrave is a combination of two existing drugs that together work to suppress food cravings, according to the company. One drug, bupropion, is an antidepressant known by the brand name Wellbutrin; it is also sold as Zyban to help people quit smoking. The second ingredient, naltrexone, is used to treat alcohol and drug addiction.

[paralegalpete]

Interesting that the story does not go a little further and suggest that folks might not be so overweight and unhealthy if they prepared their own healthy fresh food, ate moderatly and exercised a little.

Ironic that we North Americans need drugs to suppress our appetites when a large part of the worlds pop don't have enough healthy food to eat.

Thanks for sharing that

[fun4regina]

I'm pretty sure that the 'mechanism' in bupropion that helps with depression and smoking cessation is that it helps curb obsessive-compulsive behavior. If this is the case, then it makes sense that it would assist with certain kinds of weight issues, habit-eaters or compulsive-eaters, and it is quite likely being used in conjunction with other things by physicians to assist with obese patients.

[Weo]

IMO, the issue is American's belief that a pill will cure things. Ephedrine is an example. The irony, is that the reason why it was causing people to lose weight was the same reason it was causing heart attacks.

Without an understanding of how the combination of food and exercise work together for "health" or "weight" we will continue to have this problem. Fattest country in the world, but we look to healthcare as the reason for the death rates (highest being heart disease and cancer).