Fat Melting Injection Warning

FDA issues warnings about fat-melting injections used in spas across the US.
The AP (4/8, Perrone) reports that "the Food and Drug Administration is cracking down on what are billed as fat-melting injections used in spas across the US, saying the drugs" have not "been cleared by federal scientists, as required by law." The agency asked a Brazilian company and six medical spas in the US to provide a written response within 15 days with their action plan to correct the situation, the Wall Street Journal (4/8, Stynes) reports.
The Philadelphia Inquirer (4/8, Burling) explains, "In a procedure known variously as lipodissolve, mesotherapy, lipozap, lipotherapy, or injection lipolysis, patients receive a series of injections meant to 'dissolve and permanently remove small pockets of fat from various parts of the body,' the FDA said. The primary ingredients are phosphatidylcholine and deoxycholate, although vitamins and herbs may also be added." The agency "has not evaluated the drugs and says it knows of no 'credible scientific evidence' that shows they eliminate fat."
No "definitive studies of side effects" have been reported, and the risks of the injections "also aren't understood," the NPR (4/7, Popovich) "Shots" blog reported. However, some patients have experienced "pain at the injection site, knots under the skin, and permanent scarring."