THE COUNTRY’S first over-the-counter weight-loss drug is being prescribed to people who are not overweight or obese, according to an investigation by the Consumers Association of Ireland (CAI).
Eight out of 20 pharmacists visited by the association sold the drug, Alli, to a researcher of normal weight, in breach of its licensing conditions.
Amid fears that the drug could be abused by people with eating disorders, the Consumers Association has referred the results of its survey to Minister for Health Mary Harney and is calling for an audit of compliance with licensing rules.
“We will be further requesting that the Department of Health investigate the causes of our proven instances of non-compliance and advise us of their intended measures for restoring consumer confidence,” said chief executive Dermott Jewell.
Under the terms of the licence granted to GlaxoSmithKline, Alli can be obtained without prescription by adults who are overweight – with a body mass index (BMI) of 28 or over. Researcher Sinéad McMahon, who has a BMI of 19.1, said a number of pharmacists she visited refused “point-blank” to sell her Alli and warned of the potential dangers.
“However, in eight out of 20 pharmacies, the regulations for the sale of Alli were not adhered to. If users are not monitored, it makes it too easy to obtain and this opens up the potential for abuse, particularly in vulnerable groups such as teenagers and people with eating disorders.”
The survey covered pharmacies in five Dublin districts, as well as Drogheda, Naas, Portlaoise and Limerick.
The Irish Pharmacy Union urged its members to respect the protocols in place for dispensing drugs such as Alli.
A spokeswoman for GlaxoSmithKline said the labelling on boxes of Alli clearly indicated that it was suitable only for adults 18 and over with a BMI of 28 and above. She said the company had invested heavily in the training of pharmacists to help them provide advice in line with the product labelling.
GlaxoSmithKline says up to 50,000 people in Ireland have used Alli since its launch. The drug works by absorbing fat from food and preventing it from being retained as extra weight.