UK DoH Starts Talks On Slimming Drugs

The UK Department of Health has published details of its proposals to restrict the sale or supply of amphetamine or amphetamine-like drugs intended to stimulate weight loss, under the Medicines Act of 1968.

As part of the proposals, the Medicines Control Agency is contacting interested parties, such as representatives of slimming clinics, dieticians and the medical profession, to invite comments over a six-week period as part of the consultation exercise.

Most doctors are of the opinion that such treatments have limited value in the treatment of obesity as they do not provide any long-term benefit and can produce harmful side effects. Indeed, the British National Formulary, published by the British Medical Association and the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain, notes that "amphetamines have no place in the management of...obesity."