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| Chemists to start diet pill sales | Chemists to start diet pill sales |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| A pill said to help dieters lose extra pounds is to go on sale over the counter in the UK for the first time. | A pill said to help dieters lose extra pounds is to go on sale over the counter in the UK for the first time. |
| Orlistat - brand name Alli - has been licensed for prescription in the UK for more than 10 years. | Orlistat - brand name Alli - has been licensed for prescription in the UK for more than 10 years. |
| Overweight people will be able to get the drug from chemists for £50 for a month's supply from Wednesday. | Overweight people will be able to get the drug from chemists for £50 for a month's supply from Wednesday. |
| The pill, which works by blocking the absorption of fat in the body, is aimed at adults with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 28 or more. | The pill, which works by blocking the absorption of fat in the body, is aimed at adults with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 28 or more. |
| Nasty side-effects | Nasty side-effects |
| Manufacturer GlaxoSmithKline says its clinical trials show adding orlistat to a reduced-calorie, lower-fat diet, can help people lose 50% more weight than dieting alone. | Manufacturer GlaxoSmithKline says its clinical trials show adding orlistat to a reduced-calorie, lower-fat diet, can help people lose 50% more weight than dieting alone. |
| But if they persist in eating fat, they will experience some nasty side-effects such as diarrhoea and gas problems. | But if they persist in eating fat, they will experience some nasty side-effects such as diarrhoea and gas problems. |
| The Royal College of GPs has advised that the side-effects of the drug are very unpleasant in many people and that it should only be used with support and dietary advice. | The Royal College of GPs has advised that the side-effects of the drug are very unpleasant in many people and that it should only be used with support and dietary advice. |
| The organisation said everyone who wanted the pill should go to their GP for advice because some of them would have treatable causes for their obesity, and all of them would have risk factors for other illnesses which would need to be discussed. | The organisation said everyone who wanted the pill should go to their GP for advice because some of them would have treatable causes for their obesity, and all of them would have risk factors for other illnesses which would need to be discussed. |
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