The Diarrhea Diet

[flashl]

Since GlaxoSmithKline's (GSK) high profile launch of alli last summer, the first FDA-approved diet drug sold over the counter, the only figures that have flattened are sales.

Two million starter packages sold in the first few weeks at $49.99 for 60 pills and $69.99 for 120, thanks to a $150 million populist rollout that included displays in Targets, Wal-Marts and warehouse clubs.

..

But not all diet products feature the "oily bowels" and "anal leakage" that made alli an instant success on the comic circuit.

Because the active ingredient in alli, Orlistat, blocks the body's absorption of fat and ushers it out the bowels, sometimes before a person is ready or warned, GSK originally cautioned users to bring backup underwear with them or wear dark colors.

...

"Maybe it should come with a coupon for Depends," quipped Philadelphia-area pharmacist Maria Taylor.

...

GSK said the dreaded "treatment effects" which occur when users exceed 15 grams of fat a day -- a fast-food hamburger has 30 -- could teach people to avoid fatty foods through aversion therapy, like Antabuse does with alcohol. (One specialist even suggested users shouldn't get so upset about a little bowel incontinence.)

AlterNet

[Clear Blue Sky]

1. Just eat some potato salad that's been sitting out all day.

Same effect...

[Celebration]

3. LOL good one n/t

[Warpy]

8. All I need is a nice dish of ice cream

It's much nicer than MOM and has exactly the same effect.

[Fridays Child]

2. Alli Oops...

That's what those little accidents are called.

[rzemanfl]

4. My son, when he was little, called them "wet farts." n/t

[postulater]

5. I still do.

[trotsky]

6. Does it achieve the desired result?

For the most part, "big pharma" makes what people want. As long as there are enough people who want a pill to block their body from digesting fat, rather than just not consuming it in the first place, they might just be OK with the side effects. Pretty sad, though.

[Cresent City Kid]

7. A pill for everything

Prevention is not a product. There's no slick ad promoting it.

I'm waiting for the pill that treats the side effects of other pills.

[Quantess]

9. But doesn't this block absorbtion of nutrients as well?

How is this better than laxative abuse?