HISTORY
OF PHENTERMINE
Phentermine
is the most commonly prescribed prescription
appetite suppressant, accounting for 50%
of all the weight loss prescriptions.
Part of this reason is because it's significantly
cheaper than the other major FDA-approved
diet drugs, Meridia and Xenical.
Phentermine first received
approval from the Food and Drug Administration
(FDA) in 1959 as an appetite suppressant
for the short-term treatment of obesity.
Phentermine resin became
available in the United States in 1959
and Phentermine Hydrochloride in the early
1970s.
In the US, Phentermine
is currently sold under the brand names
Ionamin® (Medeva Pharmaceuticals)
and Adipex-P® (Gate Pharmaceuticals).
It is also available as a generic medication,
known as 'phentermine'.
Previously, it was sold
under the name Fastin® (formerly produced
by King Pharmaceuticals for SmithKline
Beecham). In December 1998, SK-Beecham
withdrew Fastin from the market.
As Phentermine is an older
drug, no new efficacy trials have been
conducted. The one notable exception,
are several trials on the combination
of Phentermine and Fenfluramine in the
early and mid 1990s.
Phen-Fen
Phen-Fen refers to the
combination, or cocktail, of Fenfluramine
or Pondimin (the "Fen") and
Phentermine (the "Phen"). Fenfluramine
received FDA approval in 1973 for the
short-term treatment of obesity. Together,
Phentermine and Fenfluramine produced
a powerful diet drug cocktail.
The FDA never approved
the Phen-Fen combination, but once the
agency has approved a drug, doctors may
prescribe it at will. Their use, together,
was considered "off-label".
In 1992, Dr. Michael Weintraub
of the University of Rochester and several
colleagues published a study citing Phen-Fen
as a more effective method than dieting
or exercise in reducing the weight of
the chronically obese. Even better - Phen-Fen,
unlike an earlier generation of speed-laden
diet drugs, seemed to be without immediate
side effects.
The Phen-Fen cocktail
became an overnight sensation. 1996 saw
6.6 million prescriptions of Phen-Fen
in the U.S.
This combination, however,
was never tested for safety ....
By the summer of 1997,
the Mayo Clinic reported 24 cases of heart
valve disease. All 24 people had taken
the Phen-Fen cocktail. The cluster of
unusual cases of heart valve disease in
Phen-Fen users suggested a co-relation
between Phen-Fen use and heart valve disease.
On July 8, 1997 the FDA
issued a Public Health Advisory to report
the Mayo findings (which were later published
in the August 28 issue of the New England
Journal of Medicine).
Further evaluations of
patients taking Fenfluramine, showed that
approximately 30% had abnormal valve findings.
This figure is much higher than expected
for abnormal test results and suggest
Fenfluramine as the likely causes of Primary
Pulmonary Hypertension (PPH) and valvular
heart disease.
The FDA responded promptly
to the alarming findings, and in September
1997, requested drug manufacturers to
voluntarily withdraw Fenfluramine. At
the same time, the FDA recommended that
patients using Fenfluramine stop taking
it.
The FDA did not, however,
request the withdrawal of the third drug
involved in the cocktails, Phentermine.
Phentermine
Information
Phentermine
is an oral (pill) drug that is used for
the treatment of obesity, and should be
used in conjunction with a reduced calorie
diet. Phentermine can help people
eat less and decrease your desire to eat
by increasing adrenaline levels and changing
brain chemistry. Before you can
get a prescription for phentermine, a
thorough medical physician consultation
needs to be performed. If you are
approved, then you can order safely and
conveniently via the internet. If you
would like a great phentermine alternative,
then look no farther then amazing phentermin™
C IV 37.5
However,
it is always advisable to visit your personal
physician before undergoing any new prescription
medication.
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