Weight Loss & Diet Plans

Long-Term Safety of Diet Drugs Unknown

Meridia Trial Under Way

A large, ongoing trial evaluating Meridia in overweight patients with heart diseaseheart disease should provide some answers. Results from the study are expected in 2008.

Endocrinologist Holly Wyatt, MD, of the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, says she is not overly concerned about the long-term safety of the prescription weight loss drugs that are now on the market.

"It is true that we don't have clinical trials that follow users for a decade or more, but we have as much data about the long-term safety of these drugs as we do about many other drugs that have been approved," she tells WebMD. "We have solid studies lasting from two to four years."

Manufacturer Responds

Meridia is made by Abbott Laboratories. Xenical is made by Roche Laboratories. Acomplia is made by Sanofi-Aventis. All three companies are WebMD sponsors.

WebMD attempted to contact all three manufacturers of the drugs.

A spokesperson for Abbott Laboratories says the company is committed to doing the kind of research called for in the review and pointed to the ongoing trial evaluating Meridia.

Roche Laboratories and Sanofi-Aventis did not respond to requests for comment.