Drugmaker stresses healthy lifestyle and says alli not a miracle pill

According to a recent USAToday article, the only legal over-the-counter weight loss pill alli should be selling like hotcakes, but so far, sales have been modest since the drug was introduced in 2007. Financial analyst Steve Brozak said that the drug’s sales may be lower due, ironically enough, to GlaxoSmithKline’s straightforward, honest marketing campaign. Glaxo has emphasized alli only really works when a user adopts a healthy lifestyle, saying exercise and a sensible diet must accompany the use of alli.

Glaxo has taken pains to say alli is not a “magic pill,” but rather an aid to people who want to transform their life habits. Still, Glaxo seems is satisfied with alli’s sales figures. Joe Cadle, director of marketing for Glaxo, says alli’s sales indicate a “healthy business”, and pointed out Glaxo is the only company offering an OTC drug for a problem that affects 140 million people.

Alli comes in “starter kits” that include a food journal, guide to healthy eating, and a fat and calorie guide. Sixty capsules retail at $50, while 90 capsules run about $60. Glaxo is betting that alli will eventually become a major source of their revenue, setting a goal to of selling 5 to 6 million kits a year. So far, Glaxo has spent $150 million on its unusual advertising campaign.

Glaxo recommends alli for anyone who is overweight, or who has a body mass index of 25 or higher. A body mass index over 30 is considered obese. Glaxo has also been very upfront with the possible gastrointestinal alli side effects. The company stresses that a healthy diet is essential to limiting or preventing these side effects, emphasizing that users must keep their meals uder 15 grams of fat. “They really need to understand the (gastrointestinal) treatment effects are not automatic,” according to Cadle. He also says alli’s side effects can actually alert users that they are not eating right.

The Food and Drug Administration has shown alli to have fairly impressive results. In their clinical trials, the FDA has reported alli users losing an additional 2 to 3 pounds for every 5 pounds they lose through normal diet and exercise. Alli is able to do this by blocking the absorption of about one-quarter of all fat the person takes in.

Article Source: USA Today.

Additional information on alli:

The Food and Drug Administration’s report on alli.

Ehow’s guide to safe alli diet.

A writer gives a straightforward account of the alli side effects.

Several pharmacists on the alliCircles site answer questions about all side effects.

The all Diet Plan is available on Amazon.

Revolution Health has a very informative article about alli side effects, and who should and should not take alli.