The new anti-obesity drug rimonabant (brand name Acomplia) is associated with increasing the chances of depression and suicidal thoughts, reported the Daily Mail. The drug was launched in the UK 18 months ago and is currently taken by tens of thousands of people to help weight loss; but 'evidence suggests that one in 10 of those using Acomplia may develop side effects such as low mood anxiety, irritability, nervousness and sleep disorders', the newspaper said. The Daily Telegraph said that patients taking the drug 'are 2.5 times more likely to stop taking the medication because they become depressed and three times more likely to stop because of anxiety'.
The stories are based on the findings of a combined review of several studies that have looked into rimonabant s safety and efficacy. Rimonabant has recently been assessed by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the wake of concerns about its mental health side-effects. The FDA has suggested that more information is needed about the long-term safety effects of rimonabant. The medical profession has been alerted to the increased risk of depression and anxiety with the use of rimonabant, and in the UK, doctors have been told it should not be prescribed for anyone suffering from depression or taking antidepressant drugs. The study behind today's headlines adds weight to these concerns.
Where did the story come from?
Robin Christensen and colleagues from Frederiksberg Hospital and University of Copenhagen, Denmark have carried out the research. Funding was provided by the Centre for Pharmacogenomics, University of Copenhagen, The Oak Foundation, The H:S Research Foundation, and Diabesity EC-FP6. It was published in the peer-reviewed medical journal The Lancet.
What kind of scientific study was this?
This was a systematic review and meta-analysis a 'study of studies' where the researchers combined the results of several studies examining the safety and efficacy of rimonabant, with particular emphasis on psychiatric adverse effects. It followed concerns about the risk of depression and suicidal thoughts in people taking rimonabant.
