New Bulimia Indication For Prozac In USA

Eli Lilly has received approval from the US Food and Drug Administration to market Prozac (fluoxetine) for the treatment of bulimia nervosa, the first drug to be approved by the agency for this indication.

This is the third indication for the selective-serotonin reuptake inhibitor. It has already been cleared for clinical depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Clinical trials with Prozac for bulimia demonstrated a significant reduction in binge-eating and purging episodes. In the eight-week trials, women with the disorder were treated with 60mg of Prozac, and saw a 67% median decrease in binge-eating episodes and a 56% median decrease in vomiting episodes. Side effects included insomnia, nausea, asthenia and anxiety. According to Freda Lewis-Hall, director of the Lilly Center for Women's Health, "an improved sense of control over binge-eating and purging behaviors is a crucial factor in the successful long-term management of this illness."