Answers
02/06/1987

<TITLE>Mexican Diet Drug--Redotex</TITLE>
<PRE>


                                 Feb. 6, 1987 
            WARNINGS AND COOPERATION ON MEXICAN DIET DRUG REDOTEX 
     The U.S. and Mexican governments, working with the state of Texas, have
issued warnings about a Mexican diet pill called Redotex, which they say is a 
mixture of powerful drugs that can cause psychiatric problems or death. 
     The U.S. FDA today issued an import alert, asking customs officials to 
block all supplies of the drug crossing the Mexico-U.S. border. 
     FDA's Dallas District reported that clinics in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, were
selling a combination of drugs called Redotex which appears to contain a
hormone used to speed metabolism, two stimulants, a laxative and the
tranquilizer diazepam.  Some other drugs have also been used in the clinics.
     FDA's Center for Drugs and Biologics found this combination to be an 
"irrational" one that can cause "serious and potentially fatal adverse
reactions, including alteration of metabolic rate, increased heart rate,
lowering or increasing of blood pressure, loss of body electrolytes and 
confusion and hallucinations."
     CDB particularly noted the danger of using the combination for self- 
medication. 
     FDA's Dallas District worked with state officials, who publicized the
dangers of going to the clinics or bringing the pills back to the United
States for use.  The state said several deaths and psychiatric conditions were
under review to see if they were caused by the regimen.  FDA also sought the
cooperation of Mexican officials and soon received assurances that "all the 
obesity clinics have been closed, a warning has been issued on television and 
an effort is being made to have Redotex reformulated."
     FDA Commissioner Frank E. Young, M.D., Ph.D., responded to Dr. Mario 
Lieberman, General Director of Health Inputs for the Health Secretariat of
Mexico, "I am certain that your appearance on (Mexican) national television 
contributed greatly to informing the general public of the dangers associated 
with this type of weight reduction treatment and consequently served as a 
deterrent to individuals seeking such treatment." 
     Dr. Young also thanked Dr. Lieberman for the "actions you and the Mexican
sanitary authorities have talen against the obesity operations and the
distribution of Redotex.
</PRE>