A cancer drug for weight loss? It never stops. Medicine always seems to have the easy answer...at first.

I like chunky monkey

Just like us Americans to find a quick fix for everything. Exercise and eating healthy? @!$%# that!! Let me inject this mysterious drug into my veins!

Good point. But, that would not much of a change for me, I'd just be a smaller, hairy, banana loving old broad. ;>)

There is not enough drugs in the world to solve the US problem with overweight.

curtonthebeach

If this country can successfully mass produce cheeseburgers, viagra and porn, we can do the same with these types of drugs!

So soon the obese may be able to lose weight without changing a thing about their diet and that will mean being forever having to take this drug and making some drug pushing pharm company billions or get fat again. I bet that drug is going to cost a lot!

what_the_81

No amounts of drugs will help unless there is a major change in attitude from the overweight people about their way of living.

This could help some people get started, but is by no means a solution to the rampant obesity in our society. In order to keep the weight off, people will need to get off their butts and get some exercise as well as change their eating habits. If this can help someone lose that first chunk of weight to help them have the energy to get started on a more permanent diet and exercise program, I say go for it. Many people who are overweight have a hard time getting started on an exercise program because the added weight saps their energy. If this can help by giving a boost to their energy levels by getting some initial weight off, then it is a great idea. If this is marketed as a quick fix for someone who is overweight, then it will not only fail, but make the problem worse for those who take it. A psychological exam to look at the persons motives in seeking this drug should be part of the process. No doctor should ever prescribe this to someone who is not committed to doing what is necessary to continue the process through behavior modification in the form of diet and exercise. The insurance companies should be allowed to place conditions on paying for this drug that include the person following through with a comprehensive program of diet and exercise. If the person takes the drug and does not modify their behavior to keep the weight off then the insurance companies should be able to recover the costs. This will help ensure that only those who are serious about losing weight and keeping it off are given this drug. Of course this all assumes that the drug makes it through trials and actually gets on the market.

Believe me, the people who will get it will be the people who can afford it.

Bet you insurance will not cover it. Bet you and double bet you.

Watch the rich get even thinner - and celebrities.

Here we go...

Regarding insurers--I think they would cover it in a heart beat. "If" this wonder drug, that can cause reversible kidney disorders, is the real deal--weight goes down, blood pressure goes down, and there will be a decrease in diabetes. It does really suck that we, as a nation, cannot moderate what and how much we eat and have to rely on a drug.

Insurers could tie in prescriptions with mandatory nutrition and exercise classes. I'm currently in a community weight loss class. We meet weekly to weigh in, discuss eating habits, and exercise. I've lost over ten pounds in a month, but have noticed several people are discouraged by an inability to quickly drop pounds. If they'd had a drug to help, I'm guessing they'd be more motivated to continue. Fat people don't want to be overweight, and actually require more exercise and fewer calories than normal weight people to maintain weight.

Breaking news!

New weight loss method discovered that is taking the world by storm! It's called Goya Aptfd- Get off your arse and put the fork down.

Millions of people have tried it and it has a 100% success rate with those who can stick with it.

Daaang y'all, I was just tryin to be funny, but since y'all got all serious, here's the lowdown: I DO eat healthily and I DO exercise regularly. I am overweight, but not obese. My doctor tells me it's due to hypothyroid issues and a sever Vitamin D deficiency. It's hard for me to diet because I struggled (and still do) with a pretty serious eating disorder.

Of course no one wants to RELY on a drug to lose weight. ANd this shouldn't be considered some sort of magic drug, and it's not going to transform your body overnight into Jillian Michaels' or Brad Pitt (FIGHT CLUB Brad Pitt, not Old Benjamin Button Brad Pitt). People still need to be willing to put in the effort, but what's wrong with getting a little boost? If anything, an initial kickstart is sometimes all people need to stay motivated.

And you betcha they'll be a black market in this within 30 days of its release.

If insurance covers gastric bypass they'll cover this. There's no need to debate that aspect of it.

Exercise indoors. Push-ups, sit-ups, exercise videos, jogging in front of the TV, or anything really. Total lack of exercise is deadly, even if you are thin, which you admitted you aren't. Not judging, just offering motivation.

Allergy medication (non-drowsy), join a gym, take a class, buy a treadmill ---- as long as you cling to your excuses your fat will cling to you.

@economykiller...I am allergic to EVERYTHING and I started by exercising indoors. Almost one year and 50 lbs later most of my allergies are gone and I look forward to getting up every morning for an early jog in the neighborhood. The good thing is you're halfway there by changing your diet. Just get moving and you will feel better. Even if it's just lunging for 30 min or jogging around the living room table, JUST DO IT! (Sorry Nike)

I agree. If it takes diet and exercise to keep the weight off, why don't you just start dieting and exercising to lose the weight? Just another easy fix for people who won't control what they eat.

What is so wrong with that? If there is an easier way to do something w/out harm, why would i want to take the more difficult way around?

Unfortunately, diet and exercise alone aren't enough - my hubby has been dieting and exercising for the past year. He's lost between 30 - 40 lbs, but not anymore, and needs to lose about another 40 - 50 lbs. He probably has Metabolic Syndrome, which means because of his sleep apnea, high blood pressure/triglycerides and type II diabetes, his metabolism is just plain sluggish. So he's plateaued, and he could use an extra boost - one that preferably won't aggravate the high blood pressure.

Of course, they said once the monkeys returned to their colony & resumed their prior habits, they gained back the weight. The NEXT step should be to see what happens if someone adopts better habits but quits taking the drug. If they can maintain the weight loss for, say, 6 months, then this would definitely be worth it!

sounds like your husband needs to reach the next level of exercise. He should be working out harder it should feel like when he first started working out - DIFFICULT.

I agree with lddi--if your husband has plateaued on his weight loss yet still continues to diet and exercise, he needs to ramp up his exercise program. Is he including strength training? Lean muscle burns far more calories per pound than fat. If he already strength trains, increase the weight and/or reps done. Is he stepping up his cardio with interval training? That can boost calorie burn. The body adapts to the same movements over and over again, so a change might be in order.

LOL!

Sure hope the coaches don't mind.

I still think couches would have been a better idea.

Right on...I hear you and agree!

Obesity kills you too.

Explain how does the drug kill you ?

Yes, because only Americans take medication.

I disagree, people will get thinner. However, many of the illnesses that currently plague overweight people will still be a problem for the new thinner-by-pill people. Weight itself is a cause for some issues, but many are from the lifestyle that leads people to be obese.

How many times in these post have people resorted to name calling ? I keep seeing fat a$$ or some derivative of it repeatedly throughout.

Hotticket,

i see u missed anger management classes again.

Cheaper yes but easier ??? How is walking easier than putting something in your mouth and swallow. If there was a magic pill that could cause u to instantly lose weight and all the health benefits that come with it, would you be jealous of those who decided to exercise only as an option and not a requirement for good health ?

You know, not all people that are overweight are that way because they are lazy. When I was a teenager I was thin, then I had children and with each child nature reduced my metabolism and I gained weight. I also have a thyroid disorder and sleep apnea now that also is a factor in my weight.

My ex-husband is skinny.. and I mean SKINNY... he would spend all day on the couch, drinking sugar soda and eating nothing but processed carbs and didnt gain a pound while I was excersizing and trying to eat right, taking care of the house and kids and still gaining weight.

People need to stop thinking that just because a person is overweight they are a lazy slob that eats nothing but big macs all day. If it was as easy as just getting up off the couch and eating better, we wouldnt have the obesity epidemic we have in this country. People who dont have a problem with weight do not understand, because it is easy for them they assume everyone is the same. I am sorry to tell you judgmental jerks out there, everyone is different. Our genetic makeup is different as well as our medical conditions.

Thank you. Finally a little common sense from someone posting here. You made some good points. Some know-it-all, name calling, rude, types on here think they have it all figured out but most really wouldn't know their ^$$ from a hole in the ground.

If the American dream is to be skinny with heart and other health problems, sure.

Just wait 'till it comes out and you find out it costs an arm and a leg for the shots.

Then only the rich will be even thinner!

Yeah, great idea! I did that myself, last summer, and got DIDDLY!!! Hottest summer on record, none of my more experienced gardening friends got much either. Gardening is NOT as simple as it sounds.

Yet nobody in developing countries have the fat gene. Odd.

I suppose that the fat gene must be spreading rapidly around the world, to account for the worlds population suddenly getting fatter?

We are actually fat because we eat crap. It is getting harder and harder to eat food that isn't crap. Grass-fed beef didn't used to be a specialty item. Cows just ate grass naturally. Why does this matter? When the industry switched from grass fed to grain/soy/whatever the calories in 6oz of beef increased by about 90 calories. This is just one food, there are other examples...

People are so brainwashed by the fat diet culture. No, fighting fat is not as easy as just putting the fork down. The Pima tribe is a prime example. Please educate yourself. Obesity has a very strong genetic component.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/10/071016074958.htm

Yet nobody in developing countries have the fat gene. Odd.

I suppose that the fat gene must be spreading rapidly around the world, to account for the worlds population suddenly getting fatter?

We are actually fat because we eat crap. It is getting harder and harder to eat food that isn't crap. Grass-fed beef didn't used to be a specialty item. Cows just ate grass naturally. Why does this matter? When the industry switched from grass fed to grain/soy/whatever the calories in 6oz of beef increased by about 90 calories. This is just one food, there are other examples...

You're misunderstanding the fat gene concept. Fat gene or not or course you're going to get bigger if you eat more and/or eat the wrong foods. As u get bigger, the fat gene makes it more difficult to lose the fat as well gain fat more quickly so you tend to maintain a heavy wt.

What if the F if someone is lazy. So what. It's their body and their health.

You are how much you eat. Eat less, and there will be less of you. Exercise is over-rated. It takes way more exercise than most people have the time to do to lose a significant amount of weight. But everyone can cut back on how much they eat. Eat less and guaranteed you will lose weight.

Losing weight by changing diet alone really isn't the best way to do it. You lose a lot of lean muscle that way, not just body fat. The result is you are smaller, but you are also out of shape and burning much fewer calories because you have no muscle. The only way to really be healthy is to combine a healthy diet with regular exercise. For people who are out of shape (be they thin or overweight) won't have to exercise much to see a benefit...20 minutes a day maybe?

Right, I did that then was hungry all the time, lost weight, then my metabolic rate went down and regaining the weight despite healthy eating and exercise. I rather die fat than doing this torture for the rest of my life. You guys out there preaching diet and exercise have no idea what you are talking about. I lost 40 lbs in 18 months through diet and exercise, then could not maintain the diet, developed binge eating disorder and was hungry and stressed all the time. I used to be fat and live a normal life. Now I am "normal " weight and all I think is food. And yes, my metabolic rate plummeted, my resting pulse is 45 and I can barely exercise anymore and despite all the effort, I am gaining back the weight, gained already 12 lbs last year. Any drug that works is fine with me. And NO, exercise DOES NOT make you loose weight, it just makes you hungry and eventually you will give in, give it a year or two, let's see how long you can be starving yourself.

Charly Clown,

It takes 3,500 kcals above what you take in and burn to gain a pound. As you age, it's usually easier to gain rather than lose weight. I think you need to adjust. But if you'd rather be fat (and die that way), that's your choice.

Not sure what to make of your "exercise doesn't make you lose weight". Perhaps you are going about it the wrong way. If you work out too hard or too lightly, you'll use muscle protein or carbohydrate is a primary source of fuel...not fat.

You don't need a pill. It won't be available anytime soon anyway. So what option do you have other than to stick it out--and maybe consider another diet and exercise regimen? If you can't exercise anymore perhaps it's something other than your weight? Get checked out. Don't give up because you are discouraged.

Actually, yes, losing weight is as easy as diet and exercise.

There is no such thing as the "fat gene."

I'm sorry, but if one would look at the overweight/obese statistics of other countries they would realize this.

The US is the only country with an "obesity epidemic." Some other countries may have an "obesity problem", but it's nowhere near as bad as it is in the US.

I have a fat gene... It's called Budweiser!

Bud weissssss errrrrrrr LOL

NO, diet and exercise may be "simple," but it is not EASY - otherwise we wouldn't have so many overweight/morbidly obese people running around. I don't know that it's a fat "gene" so much as we are just hard-wired to crave the highest-calorie foods. Up until about 150 years ago in America, you couldn't be sure of getting 3 meals a day - you might get only 1, so if that was all you'd get then yes, you ate! It is STILL this way in 3rd world countries, where people can spend half their day just gathering food.

The entire American lifestyle contributes to our weight gain. Not only do we produce an over-abundance of food (and have gov't policies so focused on fighting hunger that other nutritional subjects are ignored), but we've built machines that have reduced manual labor to the point where we just don't burn enough calories in a day anymore. I'm not just talking about TV - I'm talking about driving or taking a subway to work, sitting at a desk all day (like I'm doing), and even semi-automated cooking and cleaning of our homes. Heck, we don't even chop firewood anymore! These used to be normal, everyday things that we did. My mother remembered washing clothes with a washboard and pulling them through a wringer before hanging them up to dry - who does THAT anymore? Somebody mentioned growing a vegetable garden, another normal everyday thing that few people do anymore (though it appears to be making a small comeback).

I don't know if this drug is a good idea or not; I sure don't know what the real answer is, but I do know that "eat less, exercise more" is not EASY, and by itself it won't be enough for some people, either.