Obese to be offered weight-loss drug on NHS
June 25th 2008
Most papers report that rimonabant, marketed as Acomplia, is to be prescribed on the NHS.
The drug will be offered to those who have failed to lose weight with diet and exercise or 2 existing weight-loss drugs. The drug has been linked to suicide and guidance from the National Institute for health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) says patients with depression or a history of suicidal thoughts should not receive the drug which costs £44 per patient per month. The drug has not been authorized in the US.
Rimonabant is an appetite suppressant and should be taken for 6 months, coupled with exercise and only continued if a patient has lost 5% of their body weight.
Andrew Dillon, the chief executive of NICE, said: “The independent advisory committee recommended rimonabant, along with diet and exercise, as a treatment option for adults who are obese or overweight. This is good news for patients for whom orlistat and sibutramine are not effective. Being overweight or obese can lead to a range of serious health problems, including heart disease, type 2 diabetes, osteoarthritis and some cancers.”
(Telegraph p12; Independent p10; Mail p1 & p2; Express p7; Times p23)
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