EFN

The weight loss drug Orlistat is slated to go on sale in European pharmacies without the requirement of a prescription within the next few months. Although early approval was first given several months ago in October 2008, the European Commission has just now given the go ahead for public distribution of the anti-obesity drug, which will be marketed under the name Alli by GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), the makers of the product. The estimated price for Alli is £1.50 a day.

Although consumers won’t require a prescription to purchase Alli, European regulators have mandated that the drug be placed behind the counter in order that users are only able to purchase it when its necessity is determined by the pharmacist’s discretion. It’s intended that the weight loss drug be sold only to those who are actually overweight and as such will be available to consumers with a BMI of 28 kg/m2 or higher, a standard indication of obesity. The weight loss pill is taken three times per day and works by reducing the amount of fat from food that’s absorbed by the body, though with the provision that a low-fat diet is necessary to optimize the results.

However, experts have expressed concern at the perception of popular weight loss drugs such as Alli as “wonder drugs,” or drugs which are believed to be a quick and easy solution to fat loss. “This plays a part in the a weight management regime – but lifestyle changes in terms of eating a better diet must come first and last,” stated Dr. Ian Campbell, the medical director of the charity organization Weight Concern.