People who are already using rimonabant should consult their doctor, but don’t have to stop taking the drug straight away.
As many as 97,000 British people have been prescribed rimonabant to treat their obesity, and some 20,000 are currently believed to be still using it.
Concerns over the risks of depression and suicide resulting from the use of the drug have been voiced before , and in July 2007, the EMEA claimed that rimonabant may be unsafe for patients, who are also prescribed anti-depressants.
Between June and August this year, five patients, who were taking part in a trial of the drug, committed suicide.
