Episode
Fen Phen & Redux
51:28
Published: Tue Oct 27 2020
Description
Fen-Phen & Redux were "the next miracle drugs" in the '90s, claiming to help people lose dramatic amounts of weight in just three months. But within a few short years, they'd been pulled from the market. They were just too effective! (Just kidding, they killed some people.)Support us: Subscribe on PatreonDonate on PayPal Get Maintenance Phase shirts, stickers and moreLinks! Dispensing with the Truth by Alicia MundyThe New Miracle Drug (Time Magazine)How Fen-Phen, A Diet 'Miracle,' Rose and Fell (the New York Times)Blowing the Whistle on Fen-Phen (Journal of Business Communication)Purdue OxyContin settlement would rank among largest in pharma history (Reuters)National Trends in Antiobesity Medication Use (JAMA Network)The Fen-Phen Finale: A Study of Weight Loss and Valvular Heart Disease (Obesity Research)Thanks to Doctor Dreamchip for our lovely theme song!Support the show
Chapters
The podcast discusses the popularity and downfall of the diet drug Fen-phen and explores the complex relationships society has with health, wellness, bodies, and weight loss.
00:00 - 02:36 (02:36)
Summary
The podcast discusses the popularity and downfall of the diet drug Fen-phen and explores the complex relationships society has with health, wellness, bodies, and weight loss.
EpisodeFen Phen & Redux
PodcastMaintenance Phase
The podcast covers the history of the diet pills fen-phen and Redux, shedding light on why these drugs were so popular and how their use led to disastrous and potentially fatal health effects.
02:36 - 09:45 (07:08)
Summary
The podcast covers the history of the diet pills fen-phen and Redux, shedding light on why these drugs were so popular and how their use led to disastrous and potentially fatal health effects.
EpisodeFen Phen & Redux
PodcastMaintenance Phase
The FDA and doctors navigate the potential health risks of weight loss, including heart disease and brain damage, and question if weight loss is worth the risk, or if instead, heart and brain should be left healthy.
09:45 - 15:50 (06:04)
Summary
The FDA and doctors navigate the potential health risks of weight loss, including heart disease and brain damage, and question if weight loss is worth the risk, or if instead, heart and brain should be left healthy. Product advertisement may have been mentioned towards the end of the transcript.
EpisodeFen Phen & Redux
PodcastMaintenance Phase
Arguments are made that the obesity epidemic is being exaggerated to fuel the weight loss industry and sell products.
15:50 - 20:48 (04:58)
Summary
Arguments are made that the obesity epidemic is being exaggerated to fuel the weight loss industry and sell products.
EpisodeFen Phen & Redux
PodcastMaintenance Phase
Doctors and weight loss companies were over-prescribing the dangerous weight loss drug combination fen-phen to patients in the 1990s, leading to serious health risks and addiction issues.
20:48 - 25:07 (04:18)
Summary
Doctors and weight loss companies were over-prescribing the dangerous weight loss drug combination fen-phen to patients in the 1990s, leading to serious health risks and addiction issues.
EpisodeFen Phen & Redux
PodcastMaintenance Phase
Despite clear evidence indicating the connection between smoking and cancer, the tobacco industry has continuously denied such claims.
25:07 - 30:24 (05:16)
Summary
Despite clear evidence indicating the connection between smoking and cancer, the tobacco industry has continuously denied such claims. They argue that scientists do not know the exact reason why cigarettes cause cancer, and that people who smoke are only more likely to get cancer.
EpisodeFen Phen & Redux
PodcastMaintenance Phase
A deep dive into the pharmaceutical industry's marketing tactics, investigating the case of a once-billion dollar drug that was later found to be dangerous and highly addictive, wrecking lives across America.
30:24 - 38:33 (08:08)
Summary
A deep dive into the pharmaceutical industry's marketing tactics, investigating the case of a once-billion dollar drug that was later found to be dangerous and highly addictive, wrecking lives across America.
EpisodeFen Phen & Redux
PodcastMaintenance Phase
The concept of jump-starting a diet or quick weight loss is a myth perpetuated by the diet industry.
38:33 - 44:18 (05:45)
Summary
The concept of jump-starting a diet or quick weight loss is a myth perpetuated by the diet industry. Drug companies often fail to disclose the long-term inefficacy of their products to the FDA.
EpisodeFen Phen & Redux
PodcastMaintenance Phase
The disproportionate prescription of diet pills to women in comparison to men is just one of the gendered aspects of the obesity epidemic.
44:18 - 49:02 (04:43)
Summary
The disproportionate prescription of diet pills to women in comparison to men is just one of the gendered aspects of the obesity epidemic. Female weight is much more highly scrutinized than male weight, potentially leading to the untimely downfall of promising young women in society.
EpisodeFen Phen & Redux
PodcastMaintenance Phase
The rush to get prescription drugs onto the market has led to a lax regulatory environment in which bad drugs can slip through, according to journalist Katherine Eban.
49:02 - 51:05 (02:03)
Summary
The rush to get prescription drugs onto the market has led to a lax regulatory environment in which bad drugs can slip through, according to journalist Katherine Eban.