Sanofi-Aventis’ Acomplia diet pill has created its own hype in many ways. Approved by the European Drug Agency in June 2006 and sold under the name Acomplia, rimonabant takes a different weight-loss route than other diet pills.

Unlike other diet pills, it works in the brain rather than in the gut. As almost everyone knows by now, the diet drug's chief ingredient is a cannabinoid, which has the effect of giving patients the "reverse munchies," thereby reducing appetite.

But it turns out there is a downside to blocking parts of the brain that are responsible for pleasure, relaxation and pain tolerance. In a study, more than 4,000 patients who had been given 20 mg of rimonabant in trials, the results were downright depressing.

The FDA panel forbade rimonabant's application for approval due to concerns that the drug increases the risk of suicidal thoughts. In addition, the FDA also noted an increased risk of irritability, insomnia, panic attacks, aggression and suicide in patients taking the diet pill.

But, Sanofi CEO Jean-François Dehecq said, “The approval of Rimonabant Acomplia in the European Union is important news for obese and overweight patients with additional cardiometabolic risk factors such as type 2 diabetes or dyslipidaemia who will now have access to an innovative treatment option.”

The European Commission gave permission for the sale of Rimonabant acomplia prescription weight loss drugs to treat obesity and weight loss with a BMI (body mass index) of 30 or above as well as for smoking cessation treatments.

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