Nation IN BRIEF : WASHINGTON, D.C. : FDA Bans 111 Diet Drug Ingredients

The government announced that it will ban 111 ingredients from non-prescription diet drugs because they do not help people lose weight. The ban includes substances--such as alcohol, ascorbic acid, caffeine, sodium and yeast--that the Food and Drug Administration said are often found in diet products. Many products that contained the banned ingredients already have been reformulated or are no longer on the market, government and industry spokesmen said. The ban does not cover two of the most widely used weight-control ingredients: phenylpropanolamine (PPA) and benzocaine. The FDA said it is still reviewing their safety and effectiveness.