GlaxoSmithKline eyes over-the-counter diet pill
The multinational drug manufacturer asked the European Medicines Agency for permission to market Orlistat over the counter. The drug, which prevents the body fromabsorbing some fatty acids, was previously only available on prescription.
Orlistat has shown itself to be able to reduce weight by 5% in more than half of people tested.
However, it has had a troubled history with health groups objecting to its side effects and the manner in which it can play on the minds of those with eating disorders.
President of GSK consumer healthcare John Clarke said that after successfully repackaging the low-dose drug as Alli in America, it wants to move into the European market. It would be responsible in its marketing, he said.
“So far, Alli is performing well in America and, if our application is successful, we will commit to rolling out a similar responsible marketing campaign with the same level of support for consumers in Europe as we have done in the US.
“We want to see people achieving gradual, sustained weight loss by using Alli in tandem with a healthy-eating, low-fat diet and increased exercise.
“We’ve said all along that this is no magic pill. If people are looking for a quick-fix, this is not it, but it is a powerful motivator,” he said.
Earlier this year, GSK got approval to be the first American company to sell this medication without prescription.
To do this, it halved the dosage and rebranded Orlistat as Alli, which went on sale in June.
Before it expands across the Atlantic, the company must get approval from the European Agency for the Evaluation of Medicinal Products.
Orlistat is different from herbal remedies and dietary supplements designed to suppress appetite by filling up the stomach. Many of these are already available from the shop floor but they do not have active chemical ingredients and do not require regulatory approval.
Yesterday, a GSK spokeswoman said that if it gets approval, Orlistat will be the first of its kind on the Irish market.
The drug works actively in the intestine to restrict normal digestion. Its side effects include stomach cramps and diarrhoea. There have also been tests linking it to cancer in the colon.
