Diet drug could go over the counter

Reported by Susan Aldridge, PhD, medical journalist

The drug orlistat may soon become more widely available offering a new tool in the fight against obesity.
With two thirds of the American population obese or overweight, the search is still on for effective solutions. Orlistat - trade name Xenical - blocks the absorption of fat and can help those who are seriously overweight. In January 2006, a federal advisory panel recommended to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that the drug go on general over-the-counter sale. Doctors at Harvard Medical School discuss this proposal and its benefits and concerns.

They point out that although orlistat has proved helpful to those with clinical obesity - where weight is causing serious health concerns - its benefit in the general population is not known. Diet drugs should not be seen as a way of avoiding making what may be tough lifestyle choices on healthy eating and exercising. There are also some concerns about their long term effects on health. Medication seems to work best when taken in conjunction with other measures. For instance, a study shows that those taking subutramine with counseling on diet and exercise lost twice as much weight as those taking either the drug or counseling alone. The FDA tends to take note of its advisors, so orlistat could be available soon - it's to be hoped that it will be used wisely, to make a serious impact on the population's obesity problem.

Source
Harvard Women's Health Watch April 2006

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