When diet and exercise don't cut the weight quickly enough, many people turn toward diet pills. The Food and Drug Administration oversees the use of diet pills and dietary supplements in the United States, but there is a significant difference between the two. If you're considering using a diet pill or supplement of any kind, you should consult your physician before you use the product or start a diet.
Dietary Supplements
Many, if not most, so-called diet pills are classified as "dietary supplements" by the Food and Drug Administration, or FDA. These weight loss products, though they must comply with FDA regulations and federal law, are subject to far less scrutiny than prescription medications. A manufacturer can produce and sell a dietary supplement as long as it determines the product is safe. The FDA plays no role in approving or testing dietary supplements, but it can remove a product from the marketplace if it finds the product to be unhealthy or otherwise defective.
Drugs
Apart from dietary supplements, the FDA also regulates prescription medications, including weight loss drugs. Unlike dietary supplements, any drug intended for use in the United States must go through the development and approval process under the The main consumer watchdog in this system is the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, or CDER. This process can be lengthy, and requires drug companies, along with scientists and physicians from the CDER, to test their products on animals and then human subjects to determine if the potential benefits outweigh any risks.
Prescription vs Non-Prescription
Once a drug manufacturer has completed the FDA approval process and the drug has been approved for use in the United States, you must still get a physician's prescription before you can use the product. However, there are also some pills that are available over-the-counter, meaning you do not need a doctor's prescription. These over-the-counter drugs are not the same as dietary supplements, and must still go through the FDA approval process.
Advertising
Apart from the FDA's role in approving medication or supervising the dietary supplement market, the Federal Trade Commission regulates advertising used to sell or market these products. In general, all marketing for diet pills must be truthful, non-deceptive and must not be unfair. If a diet pill advertiser makes a claim, for example, it must have evidence to support it and cannot mislead consumers into thinking the pill does something it does not.
References
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration: Development & Approval Process (Drugs)
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration: Dietary Supplements
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration: Drug Applications for Over-the-Counter Drugs
- Mayo Clinic: Over-the-counter weight-loss pills: Do they work?
- Federal Trade Commission: Bookmark and Share Email Print Advertising FAQ's: A Guide for Small Business
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