Weighing benefits and risks of drug to treat obesity
CMAJ 1997;156:768
In response to: S.R. Sukkari
Servier Canada fully agrees with Sana Sukkari that Abenhaim and associates' epidemiologic study by no means implies causality. Since many of Sukkari's comments concern the editorial by Manson and Faich, we believe it is the task of these physicians to respond. Although Manson and Faich have intermittently been our consultants in the past, we were never informed of their editorial and did not in any way affect its contents. The same remarks apply to Abenhaim and associates' study of PPH, which we funded. The study was conducted without interference from our company.
Some of Sukkari's comments are now outdated, particularly the ones about the monographs issued in the US in June 1996 and in Canada in 1997 and about the decision of the European community in December 1996. The European community authorizes the long-term administration of dexfenfluramine to severely obese patients who respond to the drug, as shown by a reasonable weight loss after 3 months of therapy, and who sustain this weight reduction thereafter.
Jean-Guy Mongeau, MD
Servier Canada
Laval, Que.
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