France - As a result of recommendations made by the Committee on Proprietary Medicinal Products (CPMP), the Agence Française de Sécurité Sanitaire des Produits de Santé (AFSSPS) has announced that it will shortly suspend marketing authorization for medicinal products containing the anorectic agents amfepramone, clobenzorex, fenproporex and mefenorex. These products have been dispensed through hospital prescription since 1995 because of their implication in the occurrence of arterial pulmonary hypertension.

The Agency suspended marketing authorizations for fenfluramine and dexfenfluramine in 1997 due to the unacceptable risk of cardiac valvulopathies.

Reference: La Revue Prescrire Vol. 19, No. 199, October 1999.