Web Pharmacy Worries Doctors
Xenical, also known as Orlistat, is the latest prescription drug in the fight to lose weight. But there are concerns that it may get into the wrong hands, reports CBS News This Morning Health Contributor Dr. Dave Hnida of CBS station KCNC in Denver.
Unlike appetite suppressants, Xenical is a drug that prevents the body from absorbing dietary fat, and is intended for use only by obese people who are under a doctor's care. Now, there is concern that people who don't fit the criteria are buying Xenical through the Internet.
At a site run by a British company, Direct Response Marketing, consumers can get the drug without a physical examination. Prospective buyers simply fill in a questionnaire that asks basic information like name, height and weight, and answer a few questions about medical conditions such as liver disease, pregnancy and diabetes. A company doctors reviews your answers and, if he or she approves, you will get Xenical in the mail. It is that simple.
Some health professionals say that misuse of the drug is inevitable, even though the drug itself is no "miracle cure" for extra pounds. Xenical is meant to be used by seriously obese people to jumpstart a diet. For the rest of us, the old fashioned ways of sound diet and exercise remain the best options.
For more information on this drug, see Weighing Risks Of Anti-Fat Pill.