New FDA-Approved Weight Loss Drug Adds New Tool for Obesity Treatment

The Obesity Society Calls FDA Approval of Contrave a Step to Improve Health, Weight of Nation

Statement Attributable to:

Lee Kaplan, MD, PhD, Fellow of The Obesity Society (FTOS)

Chair, Clinical Committee, The Obesity Society

Director, Obesity, Metabolism and Nutrition Institute

Massachusetts General Hospital

News provided by

The Obesity Society

Sep 11, 2014, 10:03 ET

SILVER SPRING, Md., Sept. 11, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- As the number of Americans affected by severe obesity continues to rise, equipping our nation's doctors with proven and effective tools to treat patients for this disease is increasingly important. Today's Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announcement that Contrave™ (combination of naltrexone sustained release [SR] and bupropion SR) has been approved for long-term treatment of obesity is an important step toward this goal and can help improve the health and weight of our nation.

The Obesity Society (TOS) researchers and clinicians agree: losing weight solely by altering lifestyle changes, while effective for some people, can often be difficult to accomplish, and even more difficult to maintain. Additional treatment strategies, such as antiobesity medications like Contrave™, are important tools in the clinician's toolbox for treating obesity.

The Society supports more research and continued efforts to develop weight loss and weight maintenance strategies that are more effective for a larger patient population. One means of doing so is to increase in the number of safe and effective antiobesity medications. Obesity is a complex, chronic disease, and continued work to understand the science of this disorder will facilitate the development of additional effective treatments, bringing us closer to slowing, stopping and ultimately reversing this epidemic.

Advancements in drug and other medical therapies can substantially improve obesity-related metabolic comorbidities and reduce costs. As clinicians work to integrate these new tools into practice, we all must keep in mind that they are intended for use in combination with proven lifestyle modifications, including healthier diets, regular physical activity and efforts to reduce chronic stress, improve sleep and support healthy circadian rhythms.

About The Obesity Society
The Obesity Society (TOS) is the leading professional society dedicated to better understanding, preventing and treating obesity. Through research, education and advocacy, TOS is committed to improving the lives of those affected by the disease. For more information visit: www.Obesity.org.

SOURCE The Obesity Society