Saudi Arabia revokes obesity drug licence

The Saudi Food and Drug Authority has revoked the registration licence of obesity drug, 'Sibutramine' and its commercial names in the kingdom, 'Reductil' and 'Sibutral', and ordered their withdrawal from the market, the Saudi press agency has reported. The move follows the suspension of the drug's production licence in Europe by the European Medicines Agency, after a study showed it posed health risks in addition to serious side effects, increasing the risks for cardiovascular disease.