News > Rushing for anti-obesity drugs? Doctors caution against their rampant use

Rushing for anti-obesity drugs? Doctors caution against their rampant use

According to a recent study, 70% of India's urban population is classified as obese or overweight, placing the country amid an obesity crisis. Currently, Abbott’s Leptos (sibutramine hydrochloride) is approved for obesity medication in India, which was withdrawn in the US for its increased risk of heart attack and stroke, as Meridia in 2010. Indian doctors have been prescribing these weight-loss drugs even though they aren't yet commercially sold in India.