the drug will reduce your fat intake by about 30 percent

GlaxoSmithKline which can claim to be Europe’s largest pharmaceutical producer has applied for permission from the EU health authorities to sell its new weight loss medication in Europe. The weight loss medication Alli is in fact just a half dose version of the existing weight loss medication Xenical which is made by the drug company Roche. At present Xenical is a prescription only weight loss medication in Europe but GlaxoSmithKline who have the rights for the half dose version are hoping that the European Agency for the Evaluation of Medicinal Products will give them the green light to sell it over the counter.

The Alli weight loss drug has been given approval by the United States Food & Drug Administration to be sold over the counter there and sales have been extremely brisk with an estimated $150 million worth being sold in the second financial quarter.

There is no doubt that the key ingredient in both Alli and in Xenical namely orlistat can greatly help people who have problems with their weight nevertheless at Ukmedix News we feel that the orlistat drug should remain a prescription drug because independent testing has shown that when people use it with a doctor’s prescription they are likely to get good advice about how it works and how to use it and therefore they are more likely to lose weight when using it.

AIli and Xenical both work by preventing the digestive system from absorbing all of the fat that is consumed by patients. In fact it is estimated that the drug will reduce your fat intake by about 30 percent however it is also important that people understand that they must consume a low fat diet when using this drug otherwise they will suffer from painful stomach cramps as a side effect.

Ukmedix News will be looking for updates from the EMEA regarding the possible over the counter sale of orlistat in Europe.