Bad People

51. Fen-Phen Scandal: What would you risk to be thin?

Mary Linnen, a woman in her late 20s, had just gotten engaged and she wanted to lose some weight for the wedding. Her doctor prescribed a combination of drugs called Fen-Phen. And it worked instantly. She lost weight but then she also started to lose her breath a lot. Other agonising symptoms soon followed including swelling of legs and stomach. Mary becomes one of the first Fen-Phen victims of which there are thousands. Dr Julia Shaw and Sofie Hagen discuss the extreme lengths and risks that people are willing to take to be thin and the industry that profits from fatphobia. CREDITS
Presenters: Dr Julia Shaw and Sofie Hagen
Producer: Louisa Field
Assistant Producer: Simona Rata
Editor: Rami Tzabar
Music: Matt Chandler
Commissioning Executive: Dylan Haskins
Commissioning Assistant Producer: Adam Eland#BadPeople_BBCBad People is a BBC Audio Science Production for BBC Sounds.

Criminal psychologist Dr Julia Shaw makes a return to the series with a new co-host: journalist Amber Haque. Each episode tells the story of a true crime and explains why people do bad things. Murder, blackmail, fraud and much more. Listen every Thursday. Bad People is a BBC Studios Audio production for BBC Sounds.