 Fears That Alli May Cause Liver Damage
A well known slimming pill, Alli, created massive waves when it was launched earlier in the year, but is now being surrounded by claims that it could be linked to liver damage. Alli works by blocking the body from absorbing fat, and is the first diet pill of this type to be offered without a prescription. The main ingredient of the drug is known as orlistat. However, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of the US is investigating patients who have experienced problems as a result of this ingredient. The UK drug regulator MHRA – the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency, has also received 31 reports from patients who have experienced side effects from its use. The MHRA was not yet able to say whether these patients were in fact taking Alli, or the stronger pill Xenical which is available on prescription and also based on orlistat. Xenical first became available in 2001, and since then 24 of the patients have died, mostly from heart attacks, multi-organ failure, inflammation of the gall bladder, and one from liver failure. In five cases the cause of death was not clear. The total number of reports complaining of Xenical side effects received by the MHRA are over 1,200 and nearly 100 of these were linked to problems with the liver. When Alli was launched, it was quickly bought by thousands of shoppers. However, in a few short months it has already sparked controversy. The manufacturers make many claims of the product, including that it can help speed up weight loss by around 50%, so that dieters will effectively lose an extra 11lb for every 21b they lose on their own. Alli Sales Soar  Alli is supposed to be taken with those who have a body mass index (BMI) of greater than 28, however there have been numerous claims that pharmacists were in fact selling the product to women who are a lot slimmer. The FDA has the unique power in the US to ban sale of certain drugs, as well as ordering changes to labels or prescription advice.
These rulings are not automatically used in the UK, but the licenser of orlistat, the European Medicines Agency, does work closely alongside the FDA. A spokesman of the FDA stated that they have received some ‘rare’ reports of liver-related abnormalities, including hepatitis, by those who have taken orlistat. They added that ‘The FDA is closely monitoring this issue to determine the need for any regulatory action.’ Alli manufacturers, GSK, have stated that the safety of consumers is extremely important to the company. They also claim to have provided information about possible side effects to the Government drug regulators. A spokeswoman of the company stated that the product is already used by millions in the US. They have taken efforts to establish the safety of the drug orlistat, including 100 clinical studies where more than 30,000 patients across the world were involved. A spokeswoman from the manufacturers of the manufacturers of Xenical, Roche, stated that they also take issues of safety extremely seriously. She also stated that there has been no evidence to suggest Xenical is linked to liver toxicity. Read more about it from source ( Opens in new window) Our recommended clinically proven safe weight loss pills with no side effects
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