Eskatrol

Eskatrol was an amphetamine weight loss agent which was removed by the
Food and Drug Administration in 1981 after its manufacturer,
SmithKline & French,"Advertising:Menley & James Turns To Love 1969 Style, January 26, 1969, Page F16.] was unable to prove the drug's effectiveness. At the time it was among the 200 most widely prescribed drugs in the United States. Another was Dexamyl tablets."U.S. Review of Prescription Drugs Ends", New York Times, September 16, 1984, Page 52.] Eskatrol contained dextroamphetamine sulfate. ["Pharmacist Arrested on Drug Charge", Los Angeles Times, July 16, 1975, Page A3.]

In August 1970 the F.D.A. sought to limit the use of pep pills by calling for changes in labeling which decreased the number of allowable claims and intensified the warnings about possible hazards. F.D.A. Commissioner,Charles C. Edwards, criticized the drug industry for not helping to prevent the abuse of amphetamines. Thomas M. Rauch, president of SmithKline & French laboratories, responded that his company had long promoted stricter drug abuse legislation and tighter controlson production and distribution. SmithKline & French also made Dexedrine and Benzedrine. The F.D.A. began to restrict amphetamine manufacturer claims to only three medical uses, two of them uncommon. The two rare conditions specified were narcolepsyand hyperactivity. The third permitted use was for suppressing appetite among persons who needed to lose weight. However, this would only be allowed for a total of a few weeks, and as a part oftreatment for obesity. ["Pep Pill Makers Accused By F.D.A.", New York Times, August 6, 1970, Page 1.]

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