21/12/2009 (Agence Europe) - On Thursday 18 December, the European Medicines Agency recommended the withdrawal of all medicines containing benfluorex, which, because of its hypocholesterolemic and hypotryglyceridemic effects, was approved for use with overweight patients with diabetes. The Agency says the risks of heart valve disease, which may only develop some years after treatment, outweigh the benefits of medicines containing benfluorex. Patients who have taken medicines containing benfluorex should contact their doctors. Review of the scientific data on these medicines was undertaken following the decision of French and Portuguese authorities to withdraw them from their national markets. (O.L./transl.rt)