MHRA warns of dangers of counterfeit anti-obesity drug alli

By Neil Durham, 27 January 2010

The MHRA is warning of the dangers of buying medicines from unregulated websites after the discovery in the US of counterfeit weight-loss drug alli.

The MHRA has warned against buying medicines online after conterfeit versions of alli were found

The MHRA has warned against buying medicines online after conterfeit versions of alli were found

The Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) in the US has been working with manufacturer GlaxoSmithKline following the report of counterfeited versions of alli, which could be available potentially to UK internet customers.

Alli is available over-the-counter in the UK with the genuine product containing the active ingredient orlistat.

Testing of the suspected counterfeit product, 60mg alli capsules (120 capsule refill kit), revealed it contained sibutramine instead of orlistat.

The licence for sibutramine was suspended across Europe last week by the EMA following evidence to suggest an increased risk of non-fatal heart attacks and strokes.

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