It is a very good thing that the advisory panel for the FDA voted (10-6) against approving Qnexa, a new weight loss drug. I just don’t understand why the vote wasn’t 10-0. Even worse, the vote is simply a suggestion. The FDA could go ahead and approve the drug anyway.
Also surprising is that the panel says Qnexa works better than “any approved weight loss drug”. Really? Here’s what Qnexa does – you lose 6% to 10% of your body weight – IF YOU ALSO UNDERGO A PROGRAM OF DIET AND EXERCISE. WTF.
Isn’t a 6% to 10% weight loss be what you would expect from dieting and exercise alone?
What in the world do these other “approved weight loss drug[s]” accomplish if they can’t match the obviously underwhelming claims for Qnexa?
Qnexa is a blend of phentermine (the phen in phen-fen) and topiramate (a drug developed to treat epilepsy). Topiramate is linked to attention and memory problems, depression and suicidal thoughts and has caused birth defects in lab animals. Qnexa may also cause a condition called metabolic acidosis that speeds bone loss and increases the risk of kidney stones.
Dr. Sidney Wolfe, MD (health director for the consumer group Public Citizen) explained, “This is not a new therapy. It is just a repackaging of old ones that have significant dangers.”
So it doesn’t really do much and it’s dangerous.
I know, let’s give it to the fatties! They’ll try anything.
GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR.
Fatties United! 
The FDA requirements are:
5% of baseline weight on average over a placebo. For a 200lb person, that’s 10lbs. That’s what’s required to be an effective weight loss drug.
I think that says something pretty damning about the supposed ease of weight loss.
Really? REALLY?!
I weigh 200 pounds, and I lose 10 pounds from eating too much fibre.
So, turns out I can sell a bag of cherries as a weight loss drug. Probably be cheaper and healthier too.
As long as it’s better than a placebo.
Yeah, I don’t get it either.
Since this is more of a win than a lose I think I’m reserving my anger until the FDA approves the drug, or seriously consider approving it over the advisory panel’s recommendation. On your 10-6 comment, the sad fact is that, as long as there’s a strong lobby for something, some of the people in authority will be bought and paid for. Now there’s some anger I can get behind.
Also surprising is that the panel says Qnexa works better than “any approved weight loss drug”. Really? Here’s what Qnexa does – you lose 6% to 10% of your body weight – IF YOU ALSO UNDERGO A PROGRAM OF DIET AND EXERCISE.
This about sums up the gulf between when any of the ‘real people’ are on the line and we fat people are on the line.
We are expected to triumph in the virtually biologically impossible and are subjected to hate and shame when the inevitable failure manifests.
But when our accusers hold themselves to account, they have minimal to no standards for themselves whatsoever.
They are not ashamed, they do not hide tremulous with their failure. They remain utterly undaunted, unself hating, intact in their confidence in themselves.
Fat people should bookmark this kind of stuff to refer back to when it gets hard to remember why we have got absolutely nothing to feel bad in any way.
And it doesn’t stop there either. There is also one looking similar called Contrave as well as Lorcaserin, then the anger can really start.
Hell, I can fluctuate 10lbs between period and non-period times and most certainly probably weigh less in the morning (probably sometimes up to 10lbs less) because, ya know, I’ve been fasting for about 12 hours or so and haven’t yet started my regimen of drinking what probably equates to about a gallon or more of water per day (I work in really dry buildings, so I get thirsty constantly).
Some “effective” drug. I’ve wondered the same about Alli for a while now, and pretty much maintain my position that it’s all a scam, just some drugs have more harmful side effects than others.