20/04/2009

Non-Prescription Diet Pills Go On Sale

An over-the-counter diet pill which claims to flush out 25% of the fat from food is to go on sale in Britain on Wednesday.

Alli - also known as orlistat - will be available to dieters with a body mass index (BMI) of 28 or over, without the need for a prescription from their GP.

However, medical experts have warned that eating healthily and exercising is the only surefire way to stay slim.

The drug's makers GlaxoSmithKline claim Alli - a half-strength version of the prescription-only Xenical - can cause a safe weight loss of 3lb per week.

A month's supply of the drug costs £49.95, while two weeks' supply will be sold at £32.95. Slimmers are being warned that side effects include diarrhoea, as the undigested fat passes straight through the body creating what is described as "an urgent need to go to the bathroom".

Alli's makers said all pharmacists in the UK have been offered training to help them correctly identify a person's BMI, and ask them suitable 'fielding' questions regarding their motivation for taking the drug.

(JM/KMcA)

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