If weight loss is about getting healthy then why....

do they keep putting crap like this on the market?



July 18, 2012 FDA Approval of Diet Drug Qnexa Is Reckless

Statement of Dr. Sidney Wolfe, Director, Public Citizen’s Health Research Group

Note: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration late Tuesday approved Qnexa, a diet pill made by Vivus and renamed Qsymia, despite evidence that it poses significant risks but has little evidence of long-lasting weight loss.

As was the case for the diet drug lorcaserin (Belviq), approved last month despite concerns about heart valve damage, it also was reckless of the Food and Drug Administration to approve Qnexa. Research shows the medication increases heart rate, and four patients on the diet pill had non-fatal heart attacks during the clinical trials, while none of those on the placebo had heart attacks.

It is magical and delusional thinking for anyone to believe that a drug will turn off hunger without hitting other targets where it will do harm, usually to the cardiovascular system.

Several previous diet drugs have been withdrawn from the market because they increased cardiovascular risk, including sibutramine (Meridia) because of evidence of an increased risk of heart attacks and strokes, fenfluramine and dexfenfluramine (Redux) because of heart-valve problems, and ephedra because of heart attacks and strokes.

Doctors and patients as well as the FDA are desperate for a quick fix for obesity– desperate to the point where they are willing to risk patients’ lives.

Other serious problems identified in clinical trials with Qnexa, in addition to increased heart rate, a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, include:

? Frequent metabolic acidosis — Although many people can compensate for this drug-induced adverse effect, in the clinical trials Qnexa caused increased nephrolithiasis (kidney stones; 22 cases in the Qnexa groups, five in placebo); uncompensated metabolic acidosis also is a risk factor for heart arrhythmias.

? Cognitive damage — Memory impairment, decreased concentration/attention. Overall, cognitive-related adverse events occurred in 1.7 percent of placebo patients and 5.6 percent of mid-dose Qnexa patients.

? Birth defects (cleft palate/lip) — well documented with human topiramate exposure.

Public health cannot tolerate yet another drug approval for a diet drug not accurately assessed for cardiovascular and other risks, especially in light of suggestive findings of such risks with Qnexa.

For money? Its America for ya.

I haven't heard anything about this other than what you just posted, but I know for a fact that the FDA just approved the first diet drug in like 25 years or something like that, so I doubt the validity of this article claiming that they approved 2 more recently. The FDA has very strict guidelines about what it approves for market sale.

Because people want a quick fix.

Nobody wants to put in the effort to change their lifestyle

Weight loss for most people is not about being healthy, it's about looking damn good in a bikini.

Quoting packersgirl + 3:" Because people want a quick fix. Nobody wants to put in the effort to change their lifestyle"

 
And not everyone wants to "get healthy" when they think of losing weight. Most just want to be thin. Healthy weight loss is a rather slow and boring, people want to lose the fat, then get healthy, normally.

Because 9 times out of 10 losing weight isn't about healthy its about looks, and many people are lazy but want to look good there fore they want something that will make them look good with out hard work, than someone else can turn a profit and make tons of money selling something that will give those people exactly what they want, a flat tummy minus the work and time.

Quoting packersgirl + 3:" Because people want a quick fix. Nobody wants to put in the effort to change their lifestyle"

 
Then they get upset when they have some adverse reaction to diet pills or something.

Weight loss SHOULD be about health, that doesn't mean it always is. It is often about the outside looks to the detriment of being healthy; which is unfortunate. I don't think this article damns the whole concept of losing weight; just goes to show that quick fixes are never the answer.

Because diet pills don't get you healthy, they're a quick fix. Most of them are crap anyways and never give healthy, lasting results. Only changing your lifestyle can do that.

Quoting Crystallee Newton:" I haven't heard anything about this other than what you just posted, but I know for a fact that the FDA ... [snip!] ... article claiming that they approved 2 more recently. The FDA has very strict guidelines about what it approves for market sale."

Here is an article about Belviq... the other drug it talked about the FDA releasing.

http://healthland.time.com/2012/06/28/belviq-5-things-you-need-to-know-about-the-new-diet-pill/

Quoting Fat-and-Happy:" Here is an article about Belviq... the other drug it talked about the FDA releasing. http://healthland.time.com/2012/06/28/belviq-5-things-you-need-to-know-about-the-new-diet-pill/"

Yeah, the article says that's the first one approved in 13 years... Also, they are required to inform people of ALL the potential side effects of drugs, doesn't mean anyone who takes it will get all (or any) of them. Next time you pick up a prescription, read the novel that comes with it, and all the potential side effects... That being said, I do agree with your general point, that people will put potentially hazardous drugs into their bodies rather than diet and exercise, and it's obnoxious.

Quoting awesomebrandi:" Weight loss SHOULD be about health, that doesn't mean it always is. It is often about the outside looks ... [snip!] ... I don't think this article damns the whole concept of losing weight; just goes to show that quick fixes are never the answer."

It's about what damaging things people are willing to do to lose weight. When all you hear is "you have to lose weight if you want to be healthy" and they come out with weight loss pills that can compromise your health for you to lose weight... it is a bit aggravating.

Quoting Crystallee Newton:" Yeah, the article says that's the first one approved in 13 years... Also, they are required to inform ... [snip!] ... point, that people will put potentially hazardous drugs into their bodies rather than diet and exercise, and it's obnoxious."

Which is why I avoid taking pharmaceuticals in general. I'm on a couple right now that I plan to get off asap. I hate them with a passion. I think that there are natural things for just about every ailment on the planet.

Yep. As others said because losing weight is rarely really about health. It's about the fat. It's about wanting to weight a certain amount, even if it's at the detriment to ones health really. Yes, there are some who do it to be healthy (eating better foods and moving more) but most often it's just about the weight. It's about whatever drops the weight because many people believe that thin is healthier then fat, no matter how you get there or how you live.