Some Americans travel to Europe to get a weight-loss pill still waiting for the green light in US

Acomplia, the new weight-loss pill from Sanofi-Aventis, has been already approved in Europe but the US FDA hasn’t given the green light yet due to safety concerns. However, this did not stop many Americans to travel to Europe for the pills or order them through foreign Web sites.

U.S. Food and Drug Administration is still evaluating the treatment due to the possible risk of suicide and suicidal thoughts linked to the weight loss pill. In human trials, 20mg of the drug led to statistically and clinically significant weight loss and it is know essential to determine whether the medicine's benefits of reducing weight, cholesterol and blood sugar outweigh its risks. Some clinical tests have shown that the drug could lead to anxiety and depression and the panel is being cautious about approving it without more studies.

The biggest problem with Acomplia appears to be the neurological or mood disorders, however this may not stop people from taking it if it will make them lose weight. Study participants who were given the highest dose of the drug lost an average 5.3 kilograms, or 11.7 pounds, over a one-year period compared with a weight loss of 1.4 kilograms among patients given a placebo.