In Australia unlike most of the world the weight loss drug Xenical is available without prescription to men and women of over the age of 18. It can be bought at most pharmacies and the pharmacist will explain the side effects of the orlistat drug and let you buy it there and then. The ruling to allow the drug to be sold like that in Australia was a controversial one and some health experts say that the decision should be reversed. Because Xenical is sold as an over the counter medication it is allowed to be advertised direct to the public unlike prescription drugs that must not be advertised and can only be issued by a doctor.

Xenical however has come under a lot of flack recently as it was seen to be advertised when many under 18 year olds were watching television especially when it was advertised during the TV program Australian Idol that is watched by millions of younger people. The adverts did not actually break any of the rules set up by the advertising industry but many people felt that the advertising of a weight loss drug to under 18’s was irresponsible and should be stopped.

Now following complaints from Choice, a consumer watchdog the TV adverts have been stopped as the advertising standards regulator felt that the drug was deliberately being aimed at teenagers who might be concerned about their body image and weight rather than obese people for whom it is designed for.

Xenical is a very effective weight loss drug that works buy blocking the absorbing of fat into the body and it can take as much as 33% of all the fat that you eat out of your system. However it is not that simple as the Xenical can have side effects that are heightened especially if the drug is not taken as part of a weight loss diet. The side effects that are diarrhea, excessive flatulence and even incontinence will be aggravated if you continue to eat a high fat diet instead of eating carefully.

The Australian Therapeutic Goods Advertising Code Council, which has a special complaints board, said that the drug company Roche had overstepped the line that banned " the inappropriate or excessive use" of medication or drugs. The complaints board also said that Roche had not let it be known in the adverts that the medication was only to be used obese people with a BMI of 30 or in people with a BMI of 25+ if a doctor felt that their weight could be causing weight related problems.

The complaints board said that these Xenical ads must not be shown any more and that if they desire to continue advertising the drug it must be made clear that the drug is not suitable for normal weight people.