Executive Summary

Abstract

As of September 1997, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requested the voluntary withdrawal from the market of dexfenfturarnine and fenfturamine due to a reported association between valvular disease and the use of dexfenfturamine or fenfturamine alone or combined with phentermine.The use of these drugs for weight reduction, therefore, is not recommended in this report.Sibutramine is approved by FDA for long-term use.It has limited but definite effects on weight loss and can facilitate weight loss maintenance.(Note: FDA approval for orlistat is pending a resolution of labeling issues and results of Phase III trials.)