Beware Counterfeit Versions of Weight Loss Drug Alli

Weight loss is the hot topic in January, after holiday indulgences and on the heels of New Year’s resolutions. There are many who try to take advantage of that fact, including counterfeit marketers. So, if you are looking at slimming down, make sure that you research reputable diet and weight loss plans and get the authentic products.

On Monday, the Food and Drug Administration warned consumers about a counterfeit version of GlaxoSmithKline’s weight-loss medication Alli. Alli is sold over the counter in a wide variety of retail stores. Many internet consumers purchased the counterfeit version of the drug, and GlaxoSmithKline started getting complaints about the product last month. Glaxo said that the product was purchased from online auction sites such as eBay. The FDA said that there is no evidence of the counterfeit Alli being sold through any retail stores. The counterfeit version of the drug involved 60-milligram capsules that were sold in a 120-count refill kit.

Malesia Dunn, who is the director of communications for Glaxo’s consumer health-care division, stated that the company has received approximately 25 complaints about the counterfeit Alli. She also said that approximately 7.5 million people use Alli daily.

Tests were conducted on one of the counterfeit products and it showed that it did not contain the active ingredient that is in Alli. Instead, it contained sibutramine, which is the active ingredient in a prescription weight-loss drug sold by Abbott Laboratories called Meridia.

The FDA said, “Sibutramine is a drug that should not be used in certain patient population or without physician oversight.” The agency also said that sibutramine can also interact with other medications. Glaxo said that Alli is supposed to be taken three times a day, while the drug Meridia is taken only once a day. The company also said that consumers should purchase Alli from reputable retail stores or from branded online Web sites to make sure the product is authentic.

The counterfeit product looks very similar to Alli, but there are some differences. The outer packaging for the counterfeit version is missing the “Lot” code and also has an expiration date that consists of the month, day and year. The authentic product has an expiration that includes just the month and year, such as 4/12.

The foil seal that is on the top of the authentic Alli should read, “sealed for you protection” in white ink. The foil seal that is on the fake version is plain and does not contain any printing. The size of the capsules of the counterfeit product is slightly larger than the authentic product, and the content inside of the counterfeit capsule is a powder. The genuine product’s content resembles pellets.