Unlike the majority of countries the weight loss drug Xenical in Australia is an Over The Counter or OTC drug from pharmacies that requires no prescription and therefore no doctor's visit. This policy however is now under scrutiny and has been getting howls of protest especially after its manufacturer launched an advertising campaign that commentators said was designed to appeal to teenagers and people who are insecure about their weight rather than people who are seriously obese and who really need help in losing weight.

Many people feel that Roche who make the Xenical drug has pushed too far with its adverts that were in fact the first ever for a weight loss drug on TV.  It may be now that the regulator of medicine and drugs in Australia will remove the no prescription status that Xenical enjoys and make it a prescription drug like it is in the UK and the United States.

At Ukmedix we believe that Xenical should be a prescription medicine not because it is dangerous or harmful but just because for it to be very effective it needs to be used in the right way and not abused which is so often the case with people who don’t understand how it works. Xenical is most effective in conjunction with a low fat diet and with regular exercise. Taking more Xenical than is needed or eating a high fat diet can mean that you get side effects like diarrhea and in extreme cases incontinence as well as gassy stomach that can be painful and embarrassing.

The problem with these direct adverts were that they targeted all types of people many of whom were not suitable for the Xenical drug and thus pharmacists were inundated with Xenical requests from people who they felt should not be using it. This will be considered by The National Drugs and Poisons Schedule Committee that will meet in February to weigh up the arguments and see what can be done.