FDA declares war against weight-loss pills

[george]

'Fat' Thailand used 16M weight-loss ills; FDA to curb

BANGKOK, Dec 15 (TNA) - Consumers who think they are overweight have consumed over 16 million weight-loss pills so far this year, and their non-prescription use -- which has led to death and other complications -- has alarmed medical authorities.

Two substances common in non-prescription Thai weight-lost drugs -- amfepramone and phentermine -- were previously in use in Europe and America, but medical authorities there withdrew them from consumption.

Thailand's Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is now set to propose control measures regarding the misuse of weight-loss drugs following several deaths attributed to complications arising from taking such drugs.

As reported in local media, the latest case in Ratchaburi province west of Bangkok was reported Monday.

Measures to be proposed for the drug agency to review and act upon will be presented Dec 21. The measures include a ban on the use of products containing amfepramone and phentermine, two substances for which licences were previously withdrawn in Europe and America, FDA Secretary-General Pakdi Pothisiri said Wednesday.

He said that reducing a clinic's quota to selling 2,000 tablets of weight-loss drugs monthly, limiting a number of clinics authorised to prescribe weight-loss drugs, and regulating drugs so that only prescriptions by physicians specialised in particular fields will also be proposed as measures to control the use of weight-loss drugs.

The FDA's attempt to curb weight-loss drugs was prompted by the latest death report of a would-be bridegroom in Ratchaburi province's Potharam district. The groom died of heart failure after taking weight-loss drugs just a few days prior to his planned wedding.

Amfepramone and phentermine are now widely used for losing weight. Many drug users are unaware of the negative side effects of these drugs which help users eat less by making them feel less hungry. The chemicals might cause serious heart and lung problems in some people and there is a possible link between amfepramone and a severe mental illness, Dr. Pakdi said.

"Weight-loss drugs are normally effective for just six weeks of use," he said. "After that, drug resistance and addiction may develop", he said.

The latest figures show 16,199,100 tablets of weight-loss drugs have been used in Thailand this year. If stricter control measures were imposed, the use of such drugs would significantly decline, the FDA secretary-general said.

--TNA 2005-12-15

[astral]

About time.

Not just in Thailand, but in all countries.

Too many drugs are being misused for "weight reduction".

The drug Dimetapp was an excellent nasal decongestant.

Then people tried it as weight loss drug. It had diuretic properties, made you pee, loosing fluid, and apparent weight.

Later tt was blamed for strokes in Women and banned in the US and ultimately around the world.

Now I have to suffer a blocked nose due to Weight Watchers;

If you want to loose weight then you must cut down on your food intake -

all those snacks between meals, soft drinks laden with sugar etc

and take more exercise to improve the way your body metabolises the food your do eat.

Lifting the TV remote or a beer glass, is not considered as exercise!!

Edited December 15, 2005 by astral