Xenical Launched In UK And Germany

Xenical (orlistat), Roche's anti-obesity drug, has been launched in theUK and Germany amongst concerns voiced by UK doctors that it may inflate the National Health Service drugs bill. General practitioners are calling for national prescribing guidelines to help stop over-prescription to those who are merely overweight, rather than obese, ie those with a body mass index of 30 or over, or 28 or more combined with one or more co-morbidity factors such as hypertension, type II diabetes and hyperlipidemia.

Xenical was given European Union approval in August and is being rolled-out in France, Austria and Finland this month. It is already available in New Zealand, Argentina, the Far East and Latin America.

The lipase inhibitor, which prevents absorption of up to 30% of fat intake, is indicated for weight reduction in the clinically obese. Roche has developed a medical action plan for successful weight management to complement the prescription of Xenical and help doctors and nurses motivate their patients to get the best out of the treatment.