WONDER PILL ON THE WAY
A new super pill that helps people to lose weight and stop smoking could be available within two years, according to scientists.
Trials showed people taking 20mg of rimonabant once a day lost an average of 19lbs in weight, 11lbs more than those on dummy pills.
The drug also worked to improve risk factors associated with the development of heart disease, strokes and diabetes.
The results were described by doctors as "exciting" and were presented at the European Society of Cardiology 2004 congress in Munich.
Results announced earlier this year showed use of the drug doubled the chances of quitting cigarettes without weight gain.
The study was carried out with 1,507 overweight or obese men and women in 60 centres across Europe and the US.
The drug works by suppressing cravings to smoke and over-eat by acting on the body's endocannabinoid system - a natural physiological system which regulates energy balance.
It appears to restore balance in the body, reducing the need to go on eating when the body is already nourished.
If further studies prove successful, the drug could be licensed for use by 2006.
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