Fen-Phen diet pills

By Weight Loss Consultant • Related • Filed Under

Phentermine was first introduced in the United States in 1959 and was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Phentermine worked by stimulating neurotransmitters in the brain to suppress the appetite. It also works to boost metabolism and to burn fat by causing the release of epinephrine and adrenaline which causes the break down of fat cells throughout the body. It was designed for people who were obese and suffered underlying health conditions related to being very over weight such as diabetes. Phentermine is a nervous system stimulate, which is in the same drug class as amphetamines and phenethylamine. It was intended for short term use because of its addictive properties and side effects. Therefore, doctors rarely ever prescribed it for more than six weeks at a time.

Fenfluramine was another appetite suppressant that was released in the United States in the 1970′s. It increases the amount of serotonin in the brain which gives the feeling of being full and a loss of appetite. Fen-Phen is a drug cocktail that emerged in the 1990′s, which consisted of two different drugs. It contains Fenfluramine (Podimin) and Phentermine (Lonamin). These two drug combinations worked by changing the serotonin level in the brain decreasing the appetite and by increasing burning of fat as well as boosting the metabolism. Even though Fen-Phen was intended for people who were moderately to morbidly obese, when it was shown to be a great weight loss pill everyone that wanted to lose weight tried to get it.

This combination drug was touted as a miracle diet pill. This miracle weight loss pill did not last long though. Scientific evidence began surfacing showing a link between Fen-Phen and a fatal lung condition called Primary Pulmonary Hypertension (PPH) and heart valve damage. The Mayo Clinic reported 24 cases of heart valve disease in 1997. In all 24 cases the patients had taken the drug Fen-Phen. This prompted the FDA to issue a Public Health Advisory requesting drug manufacturers to voluntarily pull these drugs from the market. Even before Fen-Phen came to the United States 130 cases of Primary Pulmonary Hypertension (PPH) were reported in Europe. Despite the questions of the safety of Fen-Phen, the Manufacturer American Health Products continued to aggressively market Fen-Phen in the United States. They also fought to keep the black box warning off their product expressing concern that it would reduce sales by up to 50%, leaving millions of people unaware of the potential dangers of this drug.

These two drugs in Fen-Phen were voluntarily taken off the market in 1997. Fen- Phen was never approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). New studies as of 2008 show a link to heart valve damage even years after the stopping the use of Fen-Phen. This once touted miracle pill is now being reduced to a possibly deadly diet pill with a number of lawsuits that have followed. The Manufacturer of Fen-Phen has paid over 3.5 billion in damages and still have law suits pending. It is estimated that 25 million prescriptions for Fen-Phen were written by doctors. Not everyone that has taken Fen- Phen will develop these serious heart and lung conditions, but if even a few suffer ill or deadly effects it is not worth the price.

Obesity is at an all time high in the United States. Until a weight loss drug can be developed with minimal side effects and a high safety record, we should be very cautious about what we put into our bodies. It is also important that there be safety warning labels on every product and that consumers be made aware of potential dangers regarding all types of pharmaceutical drugs.

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