Alli Lawsuit

What is Alli?

Alli, which utilizes 60 mg Orlistat, may be procured via prescription (as Xenical 120 mg of Orlistat) and nonprescription (Alli) to help people lose weight. Alli, when combined with a low-calorie diet and regimented workout plan, has been shown effective in cutting fat and keeping weight off once it is shed. Prescription Alli may also be used by overweight people who have diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol or heart disease. Alli is in a class of medications known as lipase inhibitors; it is effective by blocking some of the fat in foods from being absorbed in the intestines. Unabsorbed fat is then removed from the body via excrement stool.

Alli comes as a capsule that is taken by the mouth. Alli is taken three times a day with each meal that contains fat. You should consume Alli during a meal or up to 1 hour after consumption. If you miss a meal or you eat a meal that does not have any fat, you may skip your dose. Always follow the prescription label or the package label carefully and talk to your pharmacist or doctor to explain any aspect of your prescription that you do not understand. If you fail to follow your prescription directions, you run the risk of developing Alli side effects.

Alli Side Effects:

Alli may cause side effects; the most common Alli side effect is changes in bowel movements. This typically occurs during the first weeks of Alli treatment however, bowel movement chances may continue throughout use. Please inform your doctor if any Alli side effects are severe or persistent:

• Alli side effects include oily spotting on the clothing or underwear

• Alli side effects include gas with oily spotting and urgent needs to go to the bathroom

• Loose, oily or fatty stools are common Alli side effects

• An increased number of bowel movements is a common Alli side effect

• Difficulty controlling bowel movements is a common Alli side effect

• Stomach pain, anxiety and irregular menstrual periods are common Alli side effects

• Headaches, anxiety and stomach pain are common Alli side effects

Some Alli side effects can be more severe. If you experience any Alli side effects, please contact your doctor immediately:

• Rashes, itching and hives are severe Alli side effects

• Difficulty swallowing or breathing are severe Alli side effects

• Continuous or severe stomach pain are Alli side effects

• Severe weakness or tiredness are Alli side effects

• Yellowing of the skin or eyes and pain in the upper right part of the stomach are serious Alli side effects

• Dark-colored urine and light-colored stools are also regarded as Alli side effects

If you experience any of these serious Alli side effects, you or your medical professional can send a report to the Food and Drug Administration’s MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program, located online at http://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch or via telephone at 1-800-332-1088.

In addition to the above Alli side effects, the popular weight-loss drug has been linked to liver damage. This unreported and off-label Alli side effect is the basis for the bulk of Alli lawsuits.

Alli Lawsuits:

Before talking about Alli lawsuits it must be stated that the bulk of Alli lawsuits have been filed against Xenical—the prescription form of Alli. Xenical contains 120 mg of of orlistat, while Alli contains 60 mg. The number of Alli lawsuits is meager compared to the reported cases—and subsequent legal action—against Xenical. That being said, Alli lawsuits still exist and the ability to procure an Alli settlement is very real if you have been injured as a result of Alli use.

Alli lawsuits are expected to continue to rise as liver damage cases related to use of the drug increases. In August, the FDA publicly noted that the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research is currently evaluating reports offered by 32 individual who suffered liver damage as a result of the prescription form of Alli. The filing of Alli lawsuits is a means to secure compensation for the sufferer; Alli settlements provide the sufferer with a manes to offset the costs associated with lost wages (stemming from missed work), pain and suffering and medical expenses.

Orlistat, which is manufactured by Hoffman-La Roche (and sold over the counter as Alli), is under the watchful of the FDA, which has urged consumers to report all side effects to the aforementioned MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program. Patients seeking Alli settlements are also encouraged to contact their medical professionals to affirm any signs of liver injury including jaundice, fatigue, weakness or stomach pain. The primary means to secure Alli settlements is to link liver failure, disease or injury to Alli use.

If you suffered a liver injury while on Alli, you must contact an experienced drug, personal injury or malpractice lawyer to procure more information concerning Alli lawsuits and your rights to Alli settlements. Alli settlements may include compensation for lost earnings, pain and suffering and medical care costs.

The majority of Alli lawsuits—and their attached Alli settlements—are withheld from the public. That being said, the bulk of Alli lawsuits are still pending so any information on Alli settlements—and your potential for securing an Alli settlement—should be discussed with your lawyer.

The inclusion of an OTC version of Orlistat was somewhat controversial; however, on January 23rd of 2006, the United States Food and Drug Administration advisory panel voted 11 to 3 to recommend the approval of Alli. Approval was affirmed in February of the following year; Alli, at this time, became the first weigh loss drug sanctioned by the Federal Government for OTC use.

Sources:

1. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0000175/

2. "FDA Approves alli (orlistat 60 mg capsules) Over-The-Counter" (Press release).

PRNewswire. 7 February 2007. Archived from the original on 2007-08-24. Retrieved 2007-04-08.

3. FDA Drug Safety Communication: Complete Safety Review of Ali retrieved from:

http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/PostmarketDrugSafetyInformationforPatientsandProviders/ucm213038.html