The efficacy of the treatment depends on how the patient is able to use these six months to change his dieting habits in a more or less stable way.

We introduce a balloon of half a liter volume (about a pint) in the stomach and inflate it so it takes up space and helps slow down the eating. This causes a sense of fullness, and the patient is helped to lose weight.

Obesity is not a minor problem. It actually reduces life expectancy by a quarter.

We can afford to offer it to more people since it is relatively complication-free. This has become the most common surgical procedure in Western Europe for weight loss. It has the pole position.

Every treatment can potentially have an adverse effect. Everybody knows even two aspirins for a headache has a bad effect for someone somewhere. On balance, positive effects have to outweigh the negative.

I think the most exciting benefit is just the fact that we're now able to do a treatment that in the past has had quite a bit of toxicity for patients. It will result in increased dose intensity to the tumor, and fewer overall side effects for the patient.