Can 'Barbie Drug' Make You Thinner, Tanner, Sexier?
POSTED: 4:50 p.m. PDT October 10,
2003
UPDATED: 6:00 p.m. PDT October 10,
2003
LOS ANGELES -- A new drug that
started out as a tanning aid is suddenly being compared to Viagra. But the drug
isn't just for men. In fact, many researchers are calling it "The Barbie Drug"
because of its effect on appearance. 
When skin cancer researchers tested a hormone called Melanotan
II on a group of men, their hope was to stimulate a natural tan without the sun.
However, they stumbled upon some surprising side effects.
Dr. Mac Hadley from the University of Arizona told NBC News, "After about
10 days of taking this Melanotan II, I lost about 10 pounds."Would You Try The
'Barbie Drug?'Definitely!I'm thinking about it.I'll wait until they finish
testing it.I'm perfect now - I don't need help.
Now, several companies are developing customized drugs based on Melanotan
II. Each company is focused on a different benefit.
An Australian lab is now testing an injection called EpiTan that is aimed
to deliver a safe tan. Terry Winters, a spokesperson for EpiTan, told NBC News,
"It is a total duplicate of the normal tanning process in humans, except it
occurs without sunlight."
Here in the U.S., researchers are working on a sexual spin-off called
PT141. It's a nasal spray that promises to boost libido in both men and women.
While each product will be marketed for one specific use, researchers
said it's a win/win/win situation.
Dr. Monica Ramirez, a psychologist, said, "Any pill that can help people
lose weight, get a tan and improve their sex life has got to be a winner for a
lot of people." However, Ramirez worries about the mindset a drug like this
would encourage. She said, "It just raises the bar. So now, everybody is
expected to be thin enough, and beautiful enough, and sexy enough and it just
creates a whole new way to feel like a failure."
If you're eager to toy with the "Barbie Drug," you'll probably have to
wait a few years. There's still a long way to go before federal regulators
approve it beyond the testing stage.
When skin cancer researchers tested a hormone called Melanotan
II on a group of men, their hope was to stimulate a natural tan without the sun.
However, they stumbled upon some surprising side effects.
Dr. Mac Hadley from the University of Arizona told NBC News, "After about
10 days of taking this Melanotan II, I lost about 10 pounds."Would You Try The
'Barbie Drug?'Definitely!I'm thinking about it.I'll wait until they finish
testing it.I'm perfect now - I don't need help.
Now, several companies are developing customized drugs based on Melanotan
II. Each company is focused on a different benefit.
An Australian lab is now testing an injection called EpiTan that is aimed
to deliver a safe tan. Terry Winters, a spokesperson for EpiTan, told NBC News,
"It is a total duplicate of the normal tanning process in humans, except it
occurs without sunlight."
Here in the U.S., researchers are working on a sexual spin-off called
PT141. It's a nasal spray that promises to boost libido in both men and women.
While each product will be marketed for one specific use, researchers
said it's a win/win/win situation.
Dr. Monica Ramirez, a psychologist, said, "Any pill that can help people
lose weight, get a tan and improve their sex life has got to be a winner for a
lot of people." However, Ramirez worries about the mindset a drug like this
would encourage. She said, "It just raises the bar. So now, everybody is
expected to be thin enough, and beautiful enough, and sexy enough and it just
creates a whole new way to feel like a failure."
If you're eager to toy with the "Barbie Drug," you'll probably have to
wait a few years. There's still a long way to go before federal regulators
approve it beyond the testing stage.
Copyright 2003 by NBC4.tv. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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