We are concerned at Ukmedix News... that it could lead to abuse of the drug...

As expected the European Union’s health authority for the legalisation and regulation of medicines and drugs has given the green light for GlaxoSmithKline to market and to sell an over the counter type of orlistat. Previously the European Medicines Agency had only licensed the sale of orlistat in the Xenical weight loss drug however sometime over the next couple of years it is likely that the half dose version of the drug to be named Alli will be sold in pharmacies over the counter in Europe.

The Alli drug has been licensed for over the counter sale in the United States of America and is expected to start selling in June this year. The orlistat and Xenical medication is made by the drug company Roche however the licensing for the half dose version of orlistat has been given to GlaxoSmithKline worldwide. The European Medicines Agency said that based on the fact that Xenical has proved to be an extremely safe and effective drug to treat obesity they did not have a problem with the approval of the half dose version of the drug. 

According to its contract with the drug maker Roche, GlaxoSmithKline is only allowed to sell lowered dose versions of orlistat but are not allowed to sell full strength ‘prescription required’ Xenical. At Ukmedix News we believe that the orlistat drug is very effective in helping certain people who have weight problems to shed the pounds. However from our experience we know that orlistat is a medication that needs to be used carefully and properly for it to remain very effective and to remain very safe.

People sometimes think that by taking too much orlistat they will lose more weight when in fact they will just suffer from harmful side effects and not feel well. We are concerned at Ukmedix News therefore that by allowing the weight loss drug orlistat to be available in a half dose version over the counter could lead to abuse of the medication by people who do not properly understand it.  This is what happened in Australia when orlistat became an over the counter medication and it was seen that the majority of people using the medication were not obese at all and were just using the drug as a lifestyle supplement.