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Published on 09/22/1997 All articles from this issue

Patients at Los Altos clinics adjust to drug recall

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By Joanne Griffith Domingue / Town Crier Staff Writer

Following the FDA recall of two popular diet drugs Sept. 12, reactions have varied at the two Los Altos-based weight-loss clinics, WeightWise Health Centers and Medical Advantage.

Longtime Los Altos resident Dr. Allan Kramer, medical director of WeightWise with offices in Sunnyvale, Almaden Valley and San Jose, said he has seen an increase in clients in the week following the recall.

"Business is actually growing. Patients are less concerned now since it (information about the drugs) began happening in July," Kramer said.

At Medical Advantage, a "controlled weight-loss clinic" in Loyola Corners, "We're not worried about it at all," said Penny Wells, a registered nurse and office manager at Medical Advantage.

The drug Pondimin (fenfluramine hydrochloride), the "fen" part of phen-fen and the drug Redux were both recalled by the FDA Sept. 12 following preliminary information that the drugs could cause heart valve damage in up to 30 percent of those taking them.

Kramer had patients taking the drugs, he said, but in small doses.

"The people in trouble (in the FDA reports) took three-12 Pondimin per day. We used only one per day," Kramer said.

Since information of new risks began surfacing last July, Kramer had been tapering his patients off even their low doses.

Now they are all on natural products and "have made the switch to alternatives beautifully," he said.

"Is there no concern? No. But (among his patients) there is minimal concern," he said. "Patients have had a lot of questions, but they are calm, aware of what's going on."

At Medical Advantage, with its headquarters in Los Altos and clinics in Los Vegas and New Jersey as well as Los Altos, "we never had anybody on it (the recalled diet drugs) at our clinic here," Wells said.

"So it's no loss to us at all. Our program is not about taking drugs."

Medical Advantage opened June 5 and will have a grand opening Oct. 6.

Wells declined to give the name of the doctor who is associated with the clinic.

Los Altos resident Norman Petersen, who died Aug. 19, was the president and CEO of Medical Advantage.