Beware of Fake Alli
Georgia residents purchasing Alli diet drugs on the internet may be at serious risk. Counterfeit capsules of the diet drug Alli which are being sold online can pose a serious health risk to some users according to the Food and Drug Administration.
The FDA warned consumers this week that fake versions of the over-the-counter drug are being sold, mainly online
.
According to the FDA the counterfeit pills contain excessive amounts of sibutramine, a prescription drug and controlled substance that can place people with cardiovascular disease at risk for higher blood pressure, heart attack or stroke. The fake pills contain at least twice as much sibutramine as would normally be recommended.
Symptoms of excess sibutramine can include heart palpitations, sleeplessness, anxiety, dry mouth, nausea and shakiness.
The FDA further cautioned that analysis shows that the counterfeit pills lack the active ingredient orlistat found in the authentic Alli product. This ingredient prevents a portion of the fat eaten from being absorbed.
According to the manufacturer of Alli, consumers should watch for these signs in determining whether the product they are buying is fake:
• LOT code information is missing from the top of the box.
• The expiration date includes month, day and year (example: 06162010), instead of only the month and year (example: 05/12).
• The seal on the bottle should read "SEALED FOR YOUR PROTECTION" in white ink on the real Alli bottle; this statement is not present on the fake product.
• The counterfeit capsule is slightly larger, and its content is powdery; the genuine capsule is shaped more like a pellet.
