Health Highlights: March 28, 2012 LAP BAND

Report Slams Approval Process for Medical Devices

U.S. regulators approved the Lap-Band weight loss device with little or no advance safety testing, according to a report issued Wednesday by Consumer Reports magazine.

It said the Food and Drug Administration's approval of the device was based on a clinical study of only 299 patients. Of those patients, 25 percent had their Lap-Bands removed before the end of the 3-year study due to complications or failure to lose enough weight. Something we seemed to have figured out already what took them so long?

"Imagine if a car had a recall rate that high. Consumers and regulators would be up in arms," said John Santa, director of the Consumer ReportsHealth Ratings Center, the Los Angeles Times reported.

Allergan Inc. has sold more than 650,000 Lap-Bands worldwide. Last year, the FDA approved the Lap-Band for use in less-obese patients. The approval was based on a study that showed 80 percent of patients who used the device lost at least 30 percent of their excess weight and kept it off for one year. WOW really for an entire year

The Lap-Band "has been approved internationally since 1993, and as such has a 19-year safety and effectiveness record," Allergan spokeswoman Naziah Lasi-Tejani told the Times. I'd love to see that record!!

umm... YEAH probably doesn't exist

Well that explains ALOT, only 299 test people??? Geez they use more than that for putting new foods on the market.  I'd guess some palms were being thicky greased to get that thru!!!

I wish I had the advertisers for Allergan working for me. I'd be rich.  They're a lying sack of poo, though.
Anyone who knows anything about human anatomy knows that the lap band is a really poor idea. But it makes a lotta money. And money rules the world.

I'm glad that at least some conscientious medical professionals are speaking up about it and refusing to do bands anymore.

NO Actually this just proves that the FDA puts Greed above all else, just a few examples, FEN FEN diet drugs, numerous prescription medications,Olestra,Genetically Modified foods,

I could go on but I think my point is made, that until people are HURT, MAIMED , OR a DEATH results the FDA will just continue to approve harmful products because the Greed outweighs the GOOD OF ALL