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An over-the-counter diet pill approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration hits store shelves Friday, but some doctors are questioning if its benefits are worth its costs.

The over-the-counter drug orlistat, sold in the U.S. as Alli, comes in 60 milligram pills, half that of the prescription version, which has been available in Canada for a few years.

In a three-month trial, people lost an average of 2.7 kilograms when taking the drug, but many gained it back after they stopped taking it. It is not intended for long-term use....

The original article can be found at: http://www.cbc.ca/health/story/2007/06/15/diet-pill.html

The original article can found in the Media Doctor archives.

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what we said (Hover the mouse cursor over underlined words for more info)

The fact of a well-known prescription drug becoming an over-the-counter product is is an important event given the growing levels of obesity and the potential for marketing the product to those individuals who are not obese. However, this report provides inadequate information about the benefits and harm of the drug or the potential problems when used in the longer term or by teenagers. We don't know if the product is available yet in Canada

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