GlaxoSmithKline And FDA Say Orlistat Is Safe

liver damage is often caused by obesity itself

GlaxoSmithKline which markets the half dose version of Xenical called Alli in the United Kingdom has been vigorously defending press reports that say that orlistat the active ingredient may be harmful to health. This follows on from the news that the FDA said that they were investigating a number of reports of liver problems in patients who were using orlistat in the United States.

GlaxoSmithKline were quick to point out that Xenical was the “most widely studied” diet medication in history with more than 100 controlled clinical trials involving over 30,000 men and women. The FDA review of Xenical is in fact a perfectly normal procedure which is being carried out on many other prescription medications which are still being sold by their respective drug companies. The FDA which is one of the world’s strictest health authorities does not just give approval to a drug and forget all about it, but continues to monitor it throughout its commercial life. All side effects which are reported to doctors are stored in the database so that adverse event patterns can be studied.

The Xenical review focuses around reports of liver damage however as we have already pointed out at Ukmedix News, liver damage is often caused by obesity itself and we believe that it is highly unlikely (as does the FDA) that the Xenical contributes in any way. GlaxoSmithKline made the point that up to twenty percent of overweight individuals are already suffering from a liver problem due to an excess of visceral fat around it.

The Food & Drug Administration even went as far as to tell people to continue using Xenical as usual and asked doctors to continue to prescribe it. Xenical along with Reductil are the two most prescribed weight loss medications in the United Kingdom and have helped thousands of individuals to lose weight.