On Tuesday the Food and Drug Administration banned the so-called “miracle-diet drugs” Redux and Phenteramine-Fenflouramine (Phen-Fen).

When introduced, these drugs were hailed as a godsend for those who are grossly overweight.

Reports by some researchers, though, claimed taking these drugs significantly increased a patient’s risk of heart-valve damage.

In response to these claims and based on their own research, the FDA banned Redux and Phen-Fen.

Two things are troubling about this ban. First, why didn’t the FDA conduct more intensive research before allowing these drugs to reach the market?

If there was such a significant risk of heart damage, shouldn’t that have come out during the research trials? Was the FDA trying to protect us, or are they just covering up for a lack of pre-release research?

Another problem with this drug was that it gave many a false sense of security. Those who were clinically obese praised these drugs because now they could finally lose weight.

Unfortunately, we now know that these drugs put their coronary system under the same kind of stresses obesity did.

Obesity has become a terrible disease in this country, and these drugs’ claims were too good to be true.

We need to remember that science may not always have a miracle answer for whatever ails us.

Doctors prescribed these miracle medications but also reminded their patients no drug can substitute a healthy diet and plenty of exercise.

If we are going to become healthier (and lighter) Americans, we should be listening to what our doctor tells us and not what the drug companies are.