FDA OKs 1st Over-the-Counter Weight-Loss Drug

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Padwal and a colleague recently published an article in The Lancet that noted precious little evidence exists that proves weight-loss drugs such as orlistat actually reduce the risks of heart attack, stroke and diabetes associated with being overweight or obese.

The FDA's approval of the first over-the-counter drug for weight loss comes as the United States and other western nations are struggling with an unprecedented obesity epidemic.

According to the U.S. National Center for Health Statistics, 30 percent of American adults 20 years of age and older -- more than 60 million people -- are obese. And another 36 percent are considered overweight.

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Overall, this drug is likely to be limited in the direct harm it causes, but also in the good it does, said Dr. David L. Katz, an associate professor of public health and director of the Prevention Research Center at Yale University School of Medicine.

"It is a relatively ineffective weight-loss aid," he said. "If availability of the drug distracts people from the tried-and-true approach to weight control, eating well and being active, then the FDA decision could prove more harmful than helpful, in spite of good intentions."

More information

For more information on orlistat, visit the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

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