In the past, doctors prescribed diet drugs as a way for patients to jump-start their weight loss programs. But once patients went off the drugs, the weight usually returned. New thinking holds that for a diet drug to work, it must be taken for a long time. I've been able to lose 30 pounds since June 23. In September 1997, the drugs Redux and Phenfluramine, half of the fen-phen combination, were pulled from the market amid concerns of possible heart problems.
Obesity is a chronic disease just like high blood pressure, just like diabetes.
Health experts say they won't know for sure if new diet drugs will be safe to take long-term until thousands of people start taking them. However, diet drugs don't have a good track record. Out of 31 diet drugs brought before the FDA for approval in the past 50 years, half were withdrawn or never marketed. Net Meridia Food and Drug Administration National Institutes of Health External sites are not endorsed by CNN Interactive. All Rights Reserved.