The New French Diet Pill

Rimonabant-Acomplia®, The French point of viewBy: Jean-Philippe Vest Rimonabant-Acomplia® was originally created as an anti-tobacco drug to act on the brain mechanisms and the nerve cells that control the energetic balance of the entire body, a system connected to tobacco dependency.  However, the studies also showed that the drug had effects on the weight of the patients.  Today in France, Rimonabant-Acomplia® is in phase three of study. Before being sold, all drugs in the country must go through different stages of study to receive the AMM (Autorisation de mise sur le marché), literally the authorization to be sold.  With phase three, all tests on animals are over and have given good results.  Now the drug will be tested on healthy human patients in order to see if they have some side effects.  If those side effects are not too strong, the drug will be tested on sick patients, phase 4. The studies indicated that, the main side effects of the Rimonabant-Acomplia® are diarrhea and nausea. The frequency of those effects has already been reduced from 10% to 8% of all cases.  These types of side effects are also a problem with another drug taken by obese patients in order to loose weight quickly: Xenical, made by Roche; however, such side effects occur only when the patient fails to follow a specific diet. For the moment, French doctors are being questioned by the firm Sanofi-Synthelabo about commercial aspects of Rimonabant-Acomplia®.  For example, they have to say what they would prefer: a green or a red box for the pills?  And of course, if they would prescribe the product to their patients, how many times and how often?  The doctor interviewed said that he will prescribe the drug from one month to a year, depending on the lost of weight. He doesn’t know yet if the medicine will reduce weight all at the beginning of the treatment or if the lost of weight will decline on a regular basis from month to month. In a ny case, the Rimonabant-Acomplia® won’t come out in France for at least a year. The pharmaceutical firm is not advertising the product, as it is not yet sure when the drug will be released to the public. The French pharmacist interviewed said that Sanofi-Synthelabo, a French firm, used to promise a new miraculous drug every year, just so the newspapers would talk about it, but the products usually don’t fit the promises.  Of course, all the people interviewed hope that this time the drug will fit the expectations.  If it is sold one day, a prescription will be required to buy the drug. American travelers in France would need to consult a French doctor in order to get one–otherwise pharmacists would not be able to dispense the medication. For more information on the Rimonabant-Acomplia® studies, check out the company’s web site at:Le Rimonabant – Acomplia or RIMONABANTor for an English update check out what The American College of Cardiology is saying at: Expert Opinions