The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has announced the suspension of the licence for sibutramine (Reductil®), a weight loss medication recommended as an adjunctive therapy within a weight management programme.
Additional documentation (Press release and Q&A) is available on the European Medicines Agency (EMA) website. Recent study results have linked this medication with an increased risk of cardiovascular events and authorities now consider that the risks of treatment outweigh the benefits.
Action: Doctors are advised to no longer prescribe this medication. Patients are advised to consult their doctor to discuss alternative treatments and may stop taking treatment prior to this discussion if they wish.