Americans Go Abroad, Online for New Diet Pill

The weight loss drug Acomplia is stuck in FDA limbo, but that isn't stopping Americans from ordering it off the Internet or buying it in Europe, where it's legal. If the government rules that its lowering of weight and cholesterol balances out the possible side effects, including suicide and depression, Acomplia could be worth billions to manufacturer Sanofi-Aventis.

Acomplia will be sold as Zimulti in the US, where one-third of the population is obese. The drug stifles hunger by blocking brain receptors and interacts directly with fat cells. The FDA was originally expected to rule on the drug last year, Bloomberg reports; safety questions have forced three postponements, and a decision is now expected next month. (More Sanofi Aventis stories.)