Weight Loss and Other Musings

HCG has gained a rising popularity with the diet clinics and thus the dieters in America.  The interesting part is that it has been around for over 50 years and evaluated heavily with no proof of benefit in losing weight.  Years ago it was used as a great way to keep a clinic in operation and profitable by providing these high cost injections that required weekly visits - no wonder bariatrics often gets a bad name.

Time and time again the public is battered by claims of instant cures and easy solutions.  My feeling is that when this does happen we will not be finding in an obscure book by a master salesman or infomercial but it will flood the real news and medical avenues.  As far as not putting out cures so people will continue to make money on the disease, it takes only a few seconds to realize that the real money is in a real cure and in obesity the designer will have enough money to build their own island.  Be cautious about putting your hopes in the new miracle cure - it isn't.  In this case new or a miracle.

I too want it to be easy, quick and painless but not yet.  Even those with bariatric surgery have learned that old habits die hard and a large number gain their weight back after 3 or more years.  I know they are starting to fill up my clinic.

The following must be included in all consent forms by order of the FDA in all labeling and advertising:

 The really funny part of the story is the way it was reintroduced to the United States.  A book was written by Kevin Trudeau, who makes a living with infomercials, in 2007 claiming that this treatment was "suppressed" by the AMA and the FDA and "hidden from the public." He has no dietary or medical training.  With our society having moved to complete distrust of the government this obviously proved he was correct even though he had done little studies or proof of concept.  In September 2007, the FTC charged Mr. Trudeau with violating a court order by misrepresenting the content of the book and false claims in his infomercials which have been banned. However, he continues to play on the fears of the public vs the government.  I assume that the income exceeds the risk and there are few concerns with a large number of people wasting their money and getting their hopes up.