> ## Content Index
> Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.foodconsumer.org/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further.

# Should the FDA Give Diet Drug Qnexa Another Chance?
- URL: https://www.foodconsumer.org/diet_drug_qnexa_0219120927/
- Published: 2012-02-19T10:26:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-22T16:04:43.000Z
- Description: Ahead of the FDA's reconsideration of Qnexa, Martha Rosenberg reviews the diet drug record: Fen Phen withdrawn after at least 120 deaths, Meridia pulled in 2010 over cardiovascular events, and Qnexa's own ingredients, Topamax and phentermine, causing weight loss alongside side effects.
- Author: Food Consumer
- Tags: Drug, Health News, #vivvo-import

By Martha Rosenberg

Two-thirds of U.S. adults are overweight and a third are obese, but few drugs have been able to make a dent in our "gross national product." They've proved ineffective or dangerous or ineffective AND dangerous. The popular Fen Phen was withdrawn almost fifteen years ago for killing at least 120 people. Meridia, another popular diet drug, was withdrawn in 2010 for increasing the incidence of cardiovascular events in patients.

Other drugs remain on the market but have unpleasant side effects. Alli and Xenical encourage weight loss by blocking the body's absorption of fat but can cause "oily bowels" and "anal leakage." "With Allies Like This, Who Needs Enemas?" and "Free coupon for Depends" said comics when they were first approved.

In 2010, the FDA failed to approve three diet drug candidates: Contrave, a drug that includes Wellbutrin, an antidepressant that lacks the weight gain side effects associated with other antidepressants; Lorcaserin, which also includes an antidepressant-like drug; and Qnexa, which combines Topamax, an anti-seizure drug also given for pain and bipolar disorder, with phentermine (the phen in Fen Phen.)

Next week the FDA will reconsider Qnexa. Two years ago, an FDA advisory committee heard patient Erin Aycock testify that she lost 50 pounds on Qnexa and others patients say they lost 10 percent of their body weight. Patients on the drug-rating site askapatient.com agree that both ingredients in Qnexa cause weight loss.

Topamax definitely causes weight loss, report ambivalent drug raters, but also memory and hair loss. (In fact Topamax' tendency to dumb people down is so well known it is referred to as "Stupamax" in the military where it is in wide use, says Army Times.) Topamax's weight loss properties may come from the fact that it makes food and beverages tastes bad say 33 users on askapatient. In 2009, it received an FDA suicide warning, along with other seizure drugs, and also has a warning for acute myopia associated with a type of glaucoma.

And phentermine the other drug in Qnexa? "I honestly can't distinguish this drug from Adderall, or even cocaine," says one phentermine user. "It might as well be called Prescription Coke." Users report losing 50 and 60 pounds on phentermine, though many say they gained it back. Phentermine users also report being unable to sleep and chewing the insides of their cheeks as if they were chewing gum--a frequent side effect of "speed." Phentermine is the half of Fen Phen that remains on the market.

After hearing testimony in 2010, the FDA advisory committee voted ten to six against approving Qnexa because of concerns about depression, memory-loss, birth defects and lack of long term data. But there may be more long term data now and our "gross national product" has only gotten bigger. Will opinions have changed?