Sales and prescriptions of the anti-obesity drug Acomplia were suspended yesterday after European health authorities said the benefits no longer outweigh the risks.

The European Medicines Agency said obese people taking Acomplia were roughly twice as likely to develop psychiatric disorders, such as depression, anxiety and aggression, than those taking a placebo.

According to the EMA, “New data from post-marketing experience and ongoing clinical trials indicated that serious psychiatric disorders may be more common than in the clinical trials.”

US authorities have refused to allow Acomplia to be marketed in America.

Acomplia is a brand name for rimonabant, which helps obese patients to lose weight by suppressing their appetite. It was approved for use in the EU in 2006 to be used alongside diet and exercise to treat obese or overweight patients and has been “moderately effective.”

The drug industry hasn’t introduced a new diet pill since 1998, when Switzerland’s Roche Holding AG received European approval to sell Xenical.

Seven deaths have been associated with rimbonant, the Daily Mail reported today. Around 2500 adverse reactions have been reported by British patients since it became available to private buyers two years ago.

Regarding the a spokesman for drug manufacturer Sanofi-Aventis said “The company will comply with the European Authorities request to temporarily suspend the marketing authorisation of Acomplia in obese and overweight patients and will make every effort to actively support patients and health care professionals in this process.”

[tags]rimbonant, acomplia, xenical, weight-loss drug, diet pill[/tags]