Weight-loss drug approved for the NHS
Publication Date:27/06/2008
The weight-loss drug rimonabant has been approved for use in the NHS. When combined with a low-calorie diet, the tablet can help people lose a small amount of weight. But in some people it can also cause serious side effects, such as depression, so it’s not suitable for everyone.
What is rimonabant?
Rimonabant is a drug to help people lose weight. It works by stopping you feeling hungry. It's only available from doctors on prescription, under the brand name Acomplia.
As a side effect, rimonabant can affect people's mood. This can lead to anxiety and depression, and some people even have thoughts of suicide. In the United States, an advisory panel of the US drug safety watchdog has advised against approving the drug.
However, the European Medicines Agency says that the benefits of the drug outweigh the risks, as long as you're not depressed when you start taking it. Rimonabant has been approved in Europe, and is available in several European countries, including France and Germany.
Rimonabant has been available in the UK since 2006, and has already been used by tens of thousands of people. But it's only just received official approval for use on the NHS.
How well does it work?
Rimonabant blocks chemicals in your brain that cause cravings. It only works if it helps you eat less. It doesn't work unless you also stick to a low-calorie diet and get some exercise.
In trials, a combination of diet, exercise and rimonabant helped people to lose, on average, 4.6 kilograms (10 pounds) in a year. It also helped improve people's blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
When people stopped taking rimonabant, they tended to regain the weight they'd lost.
Who can take rimonabant?
Rimonabant isn't recommended for everyone. Guidelines for NHS doctors say:
- It should only be used if other weight-loss drugs haven't worked, or if you can't take other drugs because of side effects. The drugs doctors should try first are orlistat (brand name Xenical) and sibutramine (Reductil).
- Doctors can offer rimonabant to people who are very overweight (obese). If someone is obese, it means they have a body mass index of 30 or more.
- Rimonabant can also be offered to people whose weight is causing them health problems, whether or not they're technically obese. Health problems caused by being overweight include diabetes and high cholesterol.
- After six months, you should stop taking rimonabant if you haven't lost 5 percent of your bodyweight.
- If you regain the weight you've lost, you should stop taking rimonabant.
- Treatment with rimonabant shouldn't last longer than two years without a careful check-up, and a discussion with your doctor about the benefits and risks.
Rimonabant isn't recommended for anyone who has depression, or anyone taking antidepressant drugs. It's also not recommended for anyone under 18.
What are the side effects?
As many as 1 in 10 people taking rimonabant get problems with their moods, such as feeling irritable, nervous or depressed. And 1 in 100 people think about committing suicide. People who get mood problems with rimonabant are advised to stop taking it and see their doctor.
Other side effects include problems sleeping, feeling sick, diarrhoea and a dry mouth.
What should I do now?
If you feel you need to lose weight, you should first try diet and exercise. Research has shown that getting advice and support from a health professional, to help you make changes to your diet and lifestyle, gives you the best chance of losing weight. Diet pills can help, but they may have side effects, and you will still need to stay on a diet and do exercise. If you’re interested in medication to lose weight, talk to your doctor to find out if it is suitable for you.
From:
National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence. Rimonabant for the treatment of overweight and obese adults. Available at: http://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/index.jsp?action=byID&o=12000
To read more about weight loss, see our information on obesity.
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© BMJ Publishing Group Limited ("BMJ Group") 2007. All rights reserved
This information does not replace medical advice. If you are concerned you might have a medical problem please ask your Boots pharmacy team in your local Boots store, or see your doctor.
