FirstMed Consulting Blog

It was announced earlier this week that Rimonabant (brand name Acomplia) will be made available to overweight or obese patients on the NHS. Acomplia is already used by thousands of Britons, and, coupled with exercise; it could help patients lose up to 10% of their body weight.

Firstmed has been supplying Acomplia for several months and it’s going well. Now the availability of Acomplia on the NHS is more good news for patients for whom orlistat and sibutramine are not effective.

Dr David Haslam, the clinical director of the National Obesity Forum, said that he welcomed its approval for NHS use and said “This is a very good drug, and there are very many people who have tried everything else, including other drugs, with little success, who might benefit from it.”

It is also important to note that whilst Acomplia may be right for some patients, it is not the long-term solution and may have potentially serious side-effects. Doctors have been told not to give it to patients with a history of major depression, and to be alert for new symptoms of depression in patients taking the drug.

The Nice guidance recommends rimonabant “as an addition to diet and exercise for adults who are obese or overweight and who have had an inadequate response to, are intolerant of or are contraindicated to orlistat and sibutramine”.

For more information on Acomplia visit our FAQ page