FDA: Counterfeit Version of Alli May Harm Consumers

Three separate media outlets are reporting the Food and Drug Administration’s announcement about a counterfeit version of the GlaxoSmithKline OTC drug Alli.

The following are web links to stories from CNNMoney.com, the Wall Street Journal and MedPage Today.

CNNMoney.com reported, "A counterfeit version of the over-the-counter weight-loss product Alli being marketed online could be harmful to dieters, the US Food and Drug Administration warned." The agency "said the counterfeit Alli was sold in 60 mg capsules as part of a 120 count refill kit." Alli manufacturer GlaxoSmithKline "said tests showed the falsely packaged and labeled products contained a controlled substance called sibutramine."

The Wall Street Journal reports that sibutramine is the active ingredient in Abbott Laboratories' prescription weight-loss treatment Meridia. The FDA said that "sibutramine...should not be used in certain patient populations or without physician oversight." Glaxo noted that while patients should take Alli three times a day, Meridia should only be taken once daily.

The agency said the fake products are missing a "'Lot' code on its cardboard packaging," MedPage Today reported. In addition, the counterfeit has "an expiration date that includes month, day, and year...instead of month and year," and contains "plain foil inner seals as opposed to the genuine articles printed, 'SEALED for YOUR PROTECTION.'"

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