American Society of Bariatric Physicians Supports FDA Warning Letters for Misleading Advertising of Lap-Band

DENVER, Dec. 16, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The American Society of Bariatric Physicians (ASBP) supports the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) decision to take action against surgical centers and the marketing firm 1-800-GET-THIN, LLC, for misleading advertising of the Lap-Band, an FDA-approved device used for weight loss in obese adults. The FDA issued warning letters to several southern California surgery centers and to 1-800-GET-THIN because the billboards and advertising that they use to promote the Lap-Band procedure fail to provide adequate information related to the risks of the procedure.

The Lap-Band is an adjustable band that is surgically implanted around the upper part of the stomach to aid in weight loss in obese adults.  Adjustable Gastric Banding may be a useful tool when used as part of a comprehensive treatment program for the chronic disease of obesity.  Proper patient selection and a commitment to life-long follow up are crucial to the success of any surgical treatment for obesity.  In addition to informing patients about the possible side-effects and contraindications to Adjustable Gastric Banding, physicians and surgeons who treat obese patients have an obligation to educate their patients about risks and benefits of all available treatments for obesity, including medical and behavioral options, as well as other surgical procedures.  The ASBP believes that without such education patients cannot make an informed decision about which option(s) are in their best interest.   

About the ASBP

Founded in 1950, the ASBP is the oldest medical association dedicated to the non-surgical treatment of obesity and associated diseases. The ASBP is a collaborative organization that provides its members practical information and business tools to implement a successful medical bariatric practice. For more information about the ASBP, visit www.asbp.org.

SOURCE American Society of Bariatric Physicians