Over the counter weight loss drug on sale today

The first weight loss drug to be sold without prescription went on sale today – costing £32 for just two weeks supply.

The drug, alli, is a lower dose version of the same medication which doctors prescribe to obese people, but can be purchased over the counter after a brief consultation with a pharmacist.

Alli increases the weight lost achieved through a low calorie diet by 50 per cent, so those who would lose two pounds in a week following a low-fat diet would lose three pounds if they took Alli three times a day.

Experts have said the drug will be useful in giving people a kick start to their weight loss but it is not a magic pill, has some unpleasant side effects and should not be seen as a quick fix.

Nasty side-effects

But if they persist in eating fat, they will experience some nasty side-effects such as diarrhoea and gas problems.

The Royal College of GPs has advised that the side-effects of the drug are very unpleasant in many people and that it should only be used with support and dietary advice.

The organisation said everyone who wanted the pill should go to their GP for advice because some of them would have treatable causes for their obesity, and all of them would have risk factors for other illnesses which would need to be discussed.

Dr Matt Capehorn, from the National Obesity Forum, warned the drug was not a magic bullet, had a proven track record of being effective and safe.

ONE MAN’S EXPERIENCE
Mike Hare lost 15 stone (95kg) in two-and-a-half years using Orlistat (brand name alli)

He says it was a good kick start – but was far from perfect; “I hated the side effects. They really were acutely embarrassing at times and very restricting.”

He said: “It is a credit to the company that they have resisted the temptation to make it available like your toothpaste or paracetamol – where you can go in, buy it, take it to the till and walk out.

“It is still only going to be available as part of a structured weight management programme.”

David Pruce, director of policy and communication at the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, welcomed the drug.
He explained: “A lot of pharmacists are already helping people with weight management, and what this does is it gives us another weapon in the armoury to help people in the fight against obesity.”

alli, made by GlaxoSmithKline, is licensed for adults with a body mass index (divide weight by height squared) of 28 or more. It contains 60mg of orlistat, which is the name of the higher dose prescription-only version.

Glenys Jones, who holds a degree and masters in nutrition and works at the Medical Research Council’s Human Nutrition Research centre at Cambridge University, said: “It is not a magic pill, if you don’t make the changes it won’t do it for you. You must follow a low-fat diet with it and by doing that some people will become more aware of what they are eating and make the changes needed to sustain the weight loss. We need to make sure that pharmacists are properly trained to make sure people have the right BMI and receive the advice about healthy eating and exercise as well as the side effects.”

She said it should be used for at least three months which made it quite expensive.

James Hallatt, General Manager GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare UK, said: “Obesity and overweight are a major concern of our society and people need help. alli offers a clinically proven way to help people lose weight. alli is not a magic bullet – users must be committed to weight loss; alli, when added to a reduced calorie, lower-fat diet, can help people lose 50% more weight than dieting alone. alli launched in the US in June 2007 and has been well received by millions of people, we are very excited about the opportunity to help overweight people in the UK achieve their weight loss goals.”

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