[FairOpinion]

Once they showed it's amazingly effective, which they did, and that it has basically no side effects, which they also showed -- WHY does it take them two more years to bring it to market?

I am sure it's not the company's fault, it's probably more regulations. They really should do something about that.

On one hand, they are talking about how many people smoking and obesity kills, then they don't hurry and get something to market, which may save thousands of lives in the next couple of years -- or conversely, people will keep dying from diseases related to obesity, heart disease, and smoking, who could have been saved, if they allowed this pill to be sold.

[Old Professer]

Trying to save people who are "killing themselves" is about as smart as trying to throw away a ball to discourage a Labrador Retriever from dropping it at your feet.

[Politically Correct]

Once they showed it's amazingly effective, which they did, and that it has basically no side effects, which they also showed -- WHY does it take them two more years to bring it to market? I am sure it's not the company's fault, it's probably more regulations. They really should do something about that. On one hand, they are talking about how many people smoking and obesity kills, then they don't hurry and get something to market, which may save thousands of lives in the next couple of years -- or conversely, people will keep dying from diseases related to obesity, heart disease, and smoking, who could have been saved, if they allowed this pill to be sold.

Because next they will test it on several thousand people and look for unexpected side effects......like sudden death, complete failure of your bone marrow and other such stuff that may not be common but very dangerous.
Sometimes the cure is worse than the disease.

[Marie]

They can't rush these things. Remember Phen-Phen? If it works to loose weight, people WILL take it. A lot of people. The FDA and the drug makers have to be sure it's safe or they'll be in for a very large lawsuit.

I wish these things would be available faster, too; but I'm glad they're cautious.

In the meantime...

http://ultrashape.com/

[Ophiucus]

WHY does it take them two more years to bring it to market? I am sure it's not the company's fault, it's probably more regulations.

When I was in grad school, I was involved in research using Sanofi's latest cannabinoid antagonist (the early version of Rimonabant) and that was ten years ago. Using SR141716, we found early evidence for the cannabinoid CNS receptor subtypes and their actions. Fascinating stuff.

Again, that was 10 years ago. It usually takes that long to get a drug to the clinical trials and then with great results, another 2-3 years to work through the FDA regulation requirements. Unfortunately, very few people realize how long and how expensive it is to get a drug to market.

What's really sad is that this new class of drugs has been developed from cannabinoid research (that means evil POT) which was strongly "discouraged" by the federal government. This research showed medical potential to an evil drug during the Drug War. The Clinton Administration and the anti-drug groups were very unhappy that such research was going on and the funding dried up. Sanofi was one of the few pharmaceutical companies that kept going.

[MEGoody]

"On one hand, they are talking about how many people smoking and obesity kills, then they don't hurry and get something to market, which may save thousands of lives in the next couple of years."

I see where you are coming from on this. On the other hand, we do want to make sure that the potential side affects are fully understood. Side affects don't always show up right away.