Thaindian News

May 27 (THAINDIAN NEWS) A new warning label for the diet and weight loss pills known as ‘Alli’ and ‘Xenical’ has been ordered by the United States Food and Drug Administration, (FDA), because in some cases, these pills can cause severe liver damage.

The pills, which are sold all over the United States, will have a warning label placed on the packaging about the risk. The weight loss pill ‘Alli’ is produced by ‘GlaxoSmithKline’, and is sold over the counter. ‘Xenical’, on the other hand, is sold as a prescription, and is manufactured by ‘Roche’.

The pills came under the scrutiny of the FDA when 13 different instances of liver damage were identified to be linked to the use of these drugs. The direct cause between the pills and the liver damage has yet to be identified. Aside from the new warning labels, the FDA is also urging doctors to watch patients which are using these drugs for signs of liver injury, which would include itching, yellow eyes and skin, and loss of appetite.

In statements released by the drug companies, Glaxo stated they are “committed to ensuring that consumers and physicians understand the safety profile” of Alli. They point out that over 10 million people have used this drug across the world, since it came out. Roche stated that the “safety profile of Xenical is based on more than 10 years of clinical experience and more than 36 million patients worldwide have received Xenical.” Both of these drugs were first approved by the FDA in 1999 for Xenical, and 2007 for Alli.