by Jennifer Paige

Created on: October 23, 2007

Currently, there are hundreds of diet pills on the market, but very few diet drugs. A pill is an over-the-counter supplement or stimulant. In the United States, pills do not require FDA approval. In contrast to a pill, a drug is manufactured specifically to be prescribed by a physician and must be FDA approved if it is to be sold in the U.S.. The process of getting a diet drug approved by the FDA can be long and arduous, particularly after the Phen-Fen scare in the 1990s. Thus, it makes sense that there are so many different kinds of pills but so few drugs on the market.

Hope is on the horizon, though. According to bestdietforme.com, "Representatives of the pharmaceutical industry estimate that slightly more than two dozen obesity drugs are currently undergoing clinical trials. Meanwhile, another 32 experimental medications are in early-stage development [and] there are more than a dozen new drugs for treating obesity either in or about to begin human clinical trials." However, many of these drugs will probably never make it past the testing stage.

The diet drug that was expected to be released in the United States the soonest is Romonabant, brand name Acomplia, manufactured by Sanofi-Aventis. This drug works on specific brain receptors to reduce appetite and may also be beneficial for smoking cessation. The FDA voted against this drug in July 2007, because of potential depressive side-effects. This drug is available outside of the United States and appears to be very effective.

Merck is also manufacturering a drug similar to Acomplia, callled Taranabant. They plan to file for approval to have this drug for sale in the United States sometime in 2008.

Of those diet drugs currently on the market in the United States, Phentermine is by far the most popular. It is marketed under at least 17 different brand names. One of these brand names is Adipex. Some states have limitations on how long this drug can be prescribed to a patient. Common side effects are dry mouth, insomnia, and headaches. It may also increase heart rate or blood pressure. Some physicians require that you have an EKG to check your heart before being prescribed phentermine. For decades it has been used as an appetite suppressant.

Leptin, another drug currently on the market, is an injection administered drug that appears to be successful for patients with genetic disposition toward obesity. This drug is different from many in that it alters metabolism rather than reducing appetite. Common side effects

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