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GlaxoSmithKline [8] (GSK) has launched a $150 million promotion campaign for its over-the-counter (OTC) weight loss drug, Alli [9]. But not all media coverage is up-beat about what is a lower-dose version of Roche [10]'s prescription only drug, Xenical [11]. New York Daily News reporter Julian Kesner reports that Alli consumers "might just find themselves $50 poorer, lacking in vitamins ... and suffering a bout of diarrhea." GSK has produced a video [12] on what it refers to as "treatment effects," which the product pack states may include "more frequent stools that may be hard to control." A consumer coalition, Prescription Access Litigation, has given GSK its 'With Allies Like This, Who Needs Enemas?' [13] award for marketing the drug over-the-counter, where there are less controls to ensure it is used appropriately. In February this year, the Australian drug regulator revoked [14] Roche's approval to market Xenical with direct-to-consumer advertising [15], as there "was insufficient public health benefit."
Links:
[1] http://dev.prwatch.org/users/7/bob-burton
[2] http://dev.prwatch.org/topics/marketing/advertising
[3] http://dev.prwatch.org/topics/health/obesity
[4] http://dev.prwatch.org/topics/public-relations/issue-management
[5] http://dev.prwatch.org/topics/health
[6] http://dev.prwatch.org/topics/pharmaceuticals
[7] http://www.addtoany.com/share_save?linkurl=http%3A%2F%2Fdev.prwatch.org%2Fspin%2F2007%2F06%2F6151%2Falli-oops-real-mess-drug-campaign&linkname=Alli%20Oops%21%20A%20Real%20Mess%20for%20Drug%20Campaign
[8] http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/GlaxoSmithKline
[9] http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Alli
[10] http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Roche
[11] http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Xenical
[12] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRHbchkol8A
[13] http://www.prescriptionaccess.org/press/pressreleases?id=0041
[14] http://www.tga.gov.au/media/2007/070222-orlistat.htm
[15] http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/direct-to-consumer_advertising
[16] http://www.nydailynews.com/lifestyle/health/2007/06/13/2007-06-13_dont_swallow_the_hype.html