Former FDA Commissioner Dr. David Kessler warns about the risks of long-term use of weight loss drugs and the lack of a clear plan for stopping them.
Kessler, who once struggled with unexpected weight gain during the intense work on the pandemic vaccine program, shared his experience with these drugs. After trying to lose weight through diet alone, he was introduced to GLP-1 medications by an endocrinologist. He agreed to try them and found they helped reduce his appetite by making food stay in the stomach longer. However, he stresses these drugs are not miracle cures.
Kessler explained that while GLP-1 drugs can transform health by reducing harmful belly fat linked to heart and kidney diseases, they are only one part of a broader weight-loss journey. The drugs condition the brain to want less food, but if patients stop taking them, their appetite returns and the weight often comes back.
He criticized drug companies for promoting lifelong use, saying there is currently no data on how to safely stop or restart the medication. Kessler called the widespread use “a national experiment” without enough scientific guidance. He urged the FDA to require research on long-term effects and safe discontinuation methods.
Beyond medication, Kessler highlighted the importance of a healthy diet, physical activity, and professional medical support. He emphasized that patients need doctors, nutritionists, and dietitians to succeed, but many cannot afford this care, which worries him.
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