It is time for the FDA to re-evaluate metrics for weight loss drugs

A sizable portion of American people (49.1 percent) attempted to lose weight between 2013 and 2016, which contributed to the increase in weight reduction drugs in both popular culture and medical practise. These medications must show a statistically significant difference in mean weight reduction compared to a placebo group, with a minimum of five percentage points, in order to satisfy FDA efficacy criteria in clinical trials. Additionally, with statistically significant differentiation, at least 35% of individuals must reduce their baseline body weight by 5% or more. This percentage is roughly double that of the placebo group. The FDA stresses that lean body mass should not account for the majority of weight loss, and that fat content should be measured using methods like dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA).