Healthy Skepticism Library item: 8756

Warning: This library includes all items relevant to health product marketing that we are aware of regardless of quality. Often we do not agree with all or part of the contents.

Publication type: news

Cresswell A.
Weight-loss pill maker slams ad ban
The Australian 2007 Feb 26
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,21288826-23289,00.html

Full text:

THE maker of the weight-loss pill Xenical has slammed an official U-turn that once again bans advertisements for the controversial drug, describing it as inconsistent with the free rein given to “hocus pocus” alternative products.
The federal Government’s National Drugs and Poisons Schedule Committee last week announced it would overturn a previous decision to allow Xenical, marketed by Roche Products, to be advertised direct to the public.

The advertising rules were relaxed after Xenical was delisted as a prescription-only drug last year and made available over the pharmacy counter.

The committee last week decided to keep Xenical as a non-prescription drug, but said it had heeded warnings that direct-to-consumer advertising “increased pressure on pharmacists” to sell it.

It said the committee “decided that, on balance, there was insufficient public health benefit associated with allowing direct-to-consumer advertising” of Xenical, also known by its chemical name orlistat.

Xenical is only intended for use in a relatively small group of obese patients with a body mass index above 27. But last year consumer group Choice raised concerns after advertisements for Xenical were screened during the TV program Australian Idol. Choice sent a 19-year-old girl with a healthy weight to 30 pharmacies, and found 24 were prepared to sell her the drug contrary to the guidelines.

Roche Products managing director Fred Nadjarian said the reimposition of the advertising ban was inconsistent as “products with dubious ingredients largely based on green tea extract, eye of newt, wing of bat and guinea pig tail can be (advertised)”.

“The inconsistency in the NDPSC process has left us with no confidence in their decision-making abilities and we are now at a loss as to how to make Xenical available to those who need it,” he said.

Choice spokeswoman Indira Naidoo welcomed the advertising ban, but regretted the committee did not also reimpose the requirement for a doctor’s prescription for Xenical.

“We hope that the actions of the committee will put added pressure on pharmacists to make sure they are providing the drug appropriately,” she said.