FDA cracking down on fat-melting injections

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Food and Drug Administration is cracking down on fat-melting injections used in spas across the U.S., saying the drugs have not been proven safe or effective.

Lipodissolve injections, a popular nonsurgical alternative to liposuction, are used to dissolve small fat deposits around the legs, arms and belly. The FDA said today the drugs have not been cleared by federal scientists, as required by law.

The agency issued warning letters to a half-dozen spas that offer the injections, citing them for making unsubstantiated claims about lipodissolve therapy.

"The claims made for your lipodissolve products are false and misleading in that they are not supported by substantial evidence or substantial clinical experience," states a letter to All About You Medspa in Madison, Ind.

Other spas cited by the FDA included: Pure Med Spa of Boca Raton, Fla., Monarch Med Spa of King of Prussia, Pa., and three others.