FDA approves highly anticipated weight-loss pill

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP-Excite

By MATTHEW PERRONE

WASHINGTON (AP) - The Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday approved a new weight loss drug from Vivus (VVUS) Inc. that many doctors consider the most effective therapy in a new generation of anti-obesity pills designed to help patients safely shed pounds.

The agency cleared the pill Qsymia for adults who are obese or overweight and have at least one weight-related condition such as high blood pressure, diabetes or high cholesterol.

Patients taking Qsymia for a year lost 6.7 percent of their body weight in one study and 8.9 percent in another study, the FDA said. That was more than two other weight loss pill recently reviewed by the FDA.

Despite its impressive performance in clinical trials, Qsymia is not exactly a scientific breakthrough, and its development underscores the slow pace of research for obesity treatments.

FULL story at link.



Read more: http://apnews.excite.com/article/20120718/DA030FSG0.html

[Pharaoh]

1. Doh!!!!!!!

eat right and exercise!

What kind of ramifications and side effects down the road for this drug?

Our country is insane...........

[Le Taz Hot]

10. There are medical conditions that prohibit

or strictly limit exercising. COPD is one example. Please remember that the next time you throw out the "eat right and exercise" meme which infers that the overweight person is either lazy, stupid or both.

[mac56]

12. +1

[Pharaoh]

16. If you trust the pharmaceutical industry

And their bought and paid for FDA, than by all means take this drug.

[dmallind]

17. My pulmonary fibrosis means I can walk about 100 yds max

and means anything that needs elevated oxygen intake is impossible, as the lungs simply cannot process very much. Please tell me how I should exercise.

[We are Devo]

18. Thank you.

Or me with my CFS and fibromyalgia!

[Pharaoh]

19. Just saying

read the fine print of side effects and know that there will be ramifications down the road. But a few may benefit from it.

Most will not, but I'm sure they will make billions off it.

[thelordofhell]

2. And 5 years after it comes to market......the side effects will be

heart murmur
lung tumors
stomach bleeding
kidney failure
brain seizure
bleeding rectum
etc........

[Hassin Bin Sober]

3. Sounds like a pretty good weekend in Vegas.

[thelordofhell]

7. Stage D at Lollapalooza

[boppers]

9. So, less side effects than obesity?

Win-Win.

[cyberswede]

4. Questions

How the heck do you pro ounce "Qsymia?"

There's a drug company called "Vivus?" Isn't that a wee bit close to "virus?"

Aren't typical healthy diets designed to get rid of 1-2 lbs. a week? That's 50-100 lbs. in a year, which would be well over 6.7% of body weight for most people, wouldn't it? Is my math fuzzy?

[cosmicone]

5. Simple

Qsymia is pronounced as cue-see-me-ah

Vivus means "life" in Latin.

[MADem]

11. I pinged on VIRUS too!!!!

I think Qsymia sounds a bit like Quiznos, the sub place, but I can't be sure.

Kwiz-Mee-Ah, perhaps?

I hate made-up words for drugs--they annoy me far more than incongruous names for Japanese motor vehicles!

[NBachers]

6. Did they solve the anal leakage problem this time?

[boppers]

8. It's a stimulant and an anticonvulsant.

Not exactly new, just pathetic that the US has to resort to such measures.

[Odin2005]

13. This would not work for me because I often eat out of bordom or stress...

...even though I'm not really hungry.

[ecstatic]

14. If it's a stimulant, as stated above,

it could decrease emotional /boredom eating.

[woo me with science]

15. This is a commercial,

not a news story.