Barriers to Treating Obesity

Excerpt

To the editors: Dr. Bray's editorial (1) elucidates some of the important barriers to treating obesity. As stated, "the public perception that obesity is a disease resulting from a lack of will power" is a major barrier to the treatment of a disease with fundamental genetic, molecular determinants. "Limited research funding" is surely another barrier. However, I am concerned about Dr. Bray's wish to lower barriers to the use of appetite-suppressant drugs.

I do not find "clear and convincing evidence that modern appetite-suppressant drugs are effective and safe." Fenfluramine, one of the drugs cited, has been shown to have potentially