Study: Weight-loss combo pill shows promise
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Rating
Study: Weight-loss combo pill shows promise
Our Review Summary
Perhaps if we had not compared the CNN.com story with the LA Times piece, our comments might be more glowing. It covered a lot of the bases – addressing most of our criteria.
But the Times story was framed completely differently, delivering healthy skepticism where it appears to be warranted.
Why This Matters
This story delivered a key summary line from an independent expert: “”This might be a good tool in the short term to get someone motivated, and that’s great. But unless it’s paired with aggressive lifestyle changes, it may not be great in the long term.”
Criteria
Not Applicable
Not applicable. The story didn’t discuss cost, but the story was clear that is a drug that has been slowed in its path to marketing approval so that is understandable.
Satisfactory
The story adequately reported on the potential benefits. It just didn’t provide the context we applauded in the LA Times story. But it did state:
- The drugs, phentermine and Topamax, in combination with lifestyle and weight-loss counseling were associated with a 18-22 pound weight loss in trial participants, compared with a three-pound weight loss in patients who received counseling alone.
Satisfactory
This story – while not quantifying harms – did a better job in discussing harms than the LA Times story, so we’ll give it a satisfactory score. It reported:
- According to the report, there were specific concerns about each drug’s safety individually; specifically Topamax, which is reported to cause some psychiatric and cognitive side effects and may cause clef palate birth defects if taken while pregnant. According to the manufacturer’s study, the two drugs, when taken together, and at controlled-release doses, were very safe. Participants in the trial reported minor side effects such as dry mouth and constipation, however at higher doses, some participants did complain about some psychiatric side effects. Among the 2,487 study participants, nine became pregnant, and none of their children were born with cleft palates, the report said.
Not Satisfactory
You have to read the LA Times’ story in order to see how much better a job it did than this CNN.com story in evaluating the evidence. The Times stated:
- “this study is not so new – and its findings may be less weighty than might be concluded with its publication in this respected medical journal.”
By comparison, CNN.com called it “significant promise” and “a new report.” We think the Times’ analysis was far more helpful for readers.
Satisfactory
No disease mongering in the story.
Satisfactory
The story turned to “Dr. Melina Jampolis, CNNHealth’s physician nutrition expert, who is not connected with the study.” We wish the story had given us some background on her expertise.
It also stated that “The study was funded by the pharmaceutical company Vivus.”
Satisfactory
Adequate. The story stated:
- “The drugs, phentermine and Topamax, in combination with lifestyle and weight-loss counseling were associated with a 18-22 pound weight loss in trial participants, compared with a three-pound weight loss in patients who received counseling alone. …By comparison, the only approved long-term prescription weight loss medication available on the market today, Xenical, is associated with a seven-pound weight loss when combined with diet and exercise.”
- It also quoted its nutrition expert saying “This might be a good tool in the short term to get someone motivated, and that’s great,” she said. “But unless it’s paired with aggressive lifestyle changes, it may not be great in the long term.”
Satisfactory
The story stated that Qnexa was not approved: “The Food and Drug Administration denied the request, asking for more safety data from the company before moving forward.”
Not Satisfactory
Again, in comparison with the LA Times’ reporting, we must give the CNN.com story an unsatisfactory score because of how it treated as “new” something that really wasn’t.
Satisfactory
The story did not rely solely on a news release.
Total Score: 7 of 9 Satisfactory
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