MedWorm provides a medical RSS filtering service. Over 6000 RSS medical sources are combined and output via different filters. This feed contains the latest medical blog items that have been tagged with 'alli'. Sat, 03 Sep 2011 01:59:29 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4715012&cid=t_100580_150_f&fid=34889&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpharmamkting.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F04%2Flittle-used-drug-for-sale-gsk-says-bye.html "Four years after launching the nonprescription diet pill Alli with much fanfare and a heavy marketing budget, U.K. drug maker GlaxoSmithKline PLC (GSK) on Thursday said that it plans to sell off the drug," according to this story in today's WSJ. Back in November, 2010, I noted that the EU would release data in December that could put Alli diet pill sales in the toilet (see here). GSK "acknowledged in February that demand for the drug was falling in the U.S. and Europe."Duh!GSK sold £150 million of Alli in 2007, £75 million in 2009, and £203 million in 2009 as GSK launched Alli throughout Europe. GSK didn't break out Alli sales in 2010, but I bet it's back down to £100 million level. Not exactly in the toilet yet. I can't wait to see who buys this lemon.RELATED NEWS:Public Citizen Asks... Pharma Marketing Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4715012 Fri, 15 Apr 2011 11:37:00 +0100 4715012 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4715016&cid=t_100580_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FYiEPmFQ6yMo%2F And so another work week will soon draw to a close. This means, of course, the time has come to daydream about weekend plans. Our agenda includes spring cleaning, taking one of our short people to a soccer match and catching up on some sleep. What about you? Anything special planned? A walk in the park? Reaching out to an old friend? Maybe planning the rest of your life? Whatever you do, have a great time. Meanwhile, here are some tidbits. Catch you soon… EU Backs Boehringer Pradaxa Stroke Prevention Drug (Reuters) US Will Negotiate Medicare Drug Prices: Obama (Pharma Times) EU OKs Bydureon Diabetes Med From Lilly & Amylin (Reuters) Genzyme MS Drug Shows Promising Five-Year Results (Mass High Tech) Glaxo To Sell Plant And Eliminate 250 Jobs (Memphis Business Journal) Glaxo To Se... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4715016 Fri, 15 Apr 2011 11:33:47 +0100 4715016 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4715020&cid=t_100580_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FcEBOhpGUe_M%2F For the second time in five years, Public Citizen is petitioning the FDA to ban the Xenical prescription diet pill sold by Roche, which is also marketed in a lower-dose, over-the-counter version as Alli by GlaxoSmithKline. The latest move comes after a report earlier this week that linked the drug to kidney stones and pancreatic damage. The watchdog group identified 47 cases of acute pancreatitis and 73 kidney stones among patients taking either the prescription version or the over-the-counter form. Last year, the FDA added warnings to Xenical and Alli about rare reports of liver damage - 12 reports of severe liver toxicity associated with Xenical and one domestic case for Alli. Two of the patients died of liver failure and three required liver transplants. Public Citizen wants the manufac... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4715020 Thu, 14 Apr 2011 14:49:30 +0100 4715020 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4304879&cid=t_100580_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Ffda-set-to-approve-new-anti-obesity-drug%2F2011.01.02 The FDA has been tough on diet drugs of late. Three years ago it scuttled an attempt to get the European diet drug rimonabant approved for use in the U.S. More recently it rejected, at least temporarily, applications for Qnexa and Lorcaserin. But that trend may have been reversed last week, when an advisory committee set the stage for possible FDA approval of Orexigen’s investigational diet drug, Contrave. By a 13-7 vote, the committee said in essence that the somewhat modest beneficial effects of the drug outweighed its tendency to increase blood pressure. The FDA will make final decision on the matter by the end of January. It is not required to follow the advice of its advisory committees, but as was the case for the three diet drugs mentioned above,  it usually does. (more…... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4304879 Sun, 02 Jan 2011 19:00:19 +0100 4304879 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4253199&cid=t_100580_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F12%2F13%2Fexchanging-gifts-with-your-therapist%2F It’s that time of the year again — the time where gift-giving is a part of many people’s holiday rituals. While we don’t think twice about buying little gifts for close friends and family, sometimes it gives us pause to consider giving a gift to our therapist. Here’s a relationship with a professional that we see once a week, and yet it is a professional relationship (even if it doesn’t always feel that way). What should you do? Should you exchange a little gift with your therapist? Of course, before you do anything, you and your therapist should talk about exchanging gifts (especially if you don’t know your therapist’s policy). Some therapists are okay with it — as long as the gifts are small — while others have a strict, &#8220... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4253199 Mon, 13 Dec 2010 14:50:26 +0100 4253199 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4238145&cid=t_100580_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FGuLviF9y5LA%2F In a surprise move, the FDA’s Endocrinologic and Metabolic Advisory committee voted 13-to-7 to recommend that Orexigen Therapeutics’ Contrave diet pill be allowed on the market. If the agency follows the advice, which is not guaranteed, Contrave would become the first new prescription diet drug to reach US consumers since 1999, when the FDA approved Roche’s Xenical. The panel, however, also voted 11-to-8 that additional studies are needed to ascertain cardiovascular risks. Nonetheless, the recommendation has the potential to drastically change the weight-loss market and, perhaps, put a dent in the burgeoning population of obese people, which has become a public health issue. Despite the clamoring for new diet tools, the same FDA panel earlier this year bounced two other n... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4238145 Tue, 07 Dec 2010 21:49:42 +0100 4238145 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4183530&cid=t_100580_150_f&fid=34889&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpharmamkting.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F11%2Feu-to-release-data-in-december-that.html The European Medicines Agency (EMA) -- Europe's equivalent to the FDA in the U.S. -- "will make thousands of pages of clinical trial reports public next week after pressure from drug-safety activists because of suicide risks linked to Sanofi-Aventis SA’s failed diet pill Acomplia," according to this report.The data will include results from clinical trial reports on three obesity drugs: Roche Holding AG’s Xenical, Abbott Laboratories' Meridia and Sanofis Acomplia. Acomplia was never approved in the U.S., and EMA pulled the drug from the market in October 2008. Abbott agreed to take Meridia off the U.S. market in October. The EMA halted sales of the 13-year-old diet pill in January. But Xenical is still available in Europe and both the EMA and FDA have allowed GSK to sell Xenical’s ac... Pharma Marketing Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4183530 Fri, 19 Nov 2010 20:31:00 +0100 4183530 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4055957&cid=t_100580_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FAN4d2O3u9_g%2F The decision late last week by the FDA to encourage Abbott Laboratories to withdraw its Meridia diet pill has obvious implications for other drugmakers seeking approval for obesity drugs. But will those companies gain or lose? The answer will depend on the extent to which the FDA sees the need to offer more options to fight fat while weighing (pun intended) pressing safety concerns. On one hand, there are few options available to overweight Americans: Roche’s Xenical, which is also sold over-the-counter by GlaxoSmithKline as Alli, and phentermine, the surviving half of the infamous fen-phen weight-loss cocktail (the other half, fenfleuramine, along with a chemically related pill were both recalled in 1997 due to serious heart and lung side effects). But these are only modestly effect... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4055957 Mon, 11 Oct 2010 12:53:29 +0100 4055957 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3758106&cid=t_100580_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FDjg7tRYJ3HQ%2F What will it take to convince a panel of experts that a diet pill is safe, not just effective? Vivus is the latest company to fail to come up with an answer. An FDA advisory committee today voted 9 to 7 to reject its Qnexa pill, which was effective in clinical trials, but worried panelists about usage by pregnant women and psychiatric side effects. These concerns were raised by agency medical reviewers (look here), given that diet drugs are widely expected to be used on a long-term basis. The outcome contradicts what some Wall Street analysts were cautiously predicting - a vote in favor of recommending approval, albeit with labeling and marketing restrictions, which would have made Qnexa the first new prescription diet pill in more than a decade. However, this has been a three-way race. Tw... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3758106 Fri, 16 Jul 2010 02:14:15 +0100 3758106 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3718693&cid=t_100580_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FuxvU1Buf_Gg%2F More than a decade ago, the fen-phen weight-loss cocktail and a related diet pill called Redux made headlines after links to heart and lung troubles forced a recall, which eventually cost Wyeth $21 billion in charges. Other prescription drugs - Abbott’s Meridia and Roche’s Xenical - never fared well due to side effects. Sanofi-Aventis never sold Acomplia due to psychiatric side effects. And even the over-the-counter Alli pill, which is really a version of Xenical, is suspect these days thanks to concerns over liver injury (see here). Now, though, a trio of would-be diet pill makers is focusing attention anew on the long-disgraced obesity market. This is underscored by Eisai’s willingness to pay $50 million for the rights to sell Arena Pharmaceuticals’ lorcaserin in... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3718693 Thu, 01 Jul 2010 20:57:20 +0100 3718693 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3645053&cid=t_100580_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FjrKPyYmQRNQ%2F For the second time in two months, the European Medicines Agency has been criticized by its ombudsman for refusing to release data about drugs. Last month, Nikiforos Diamandouros chastised the EMA for refusing to release documents containing suspected adverse reactions caused by Accutane (background). This time, he upbraided the agency for not allowing outside investigators access to clinical trial data on two obesity pills - Acomplis, which was withdrawn by Sanofi-Aventis, and orlistat, which is sold as Xenical by Roche and as Alli, an over-the-counter med marketed by GlaxoSmithKline. Researchers at the Nordic Cochrane Centre wanted to conduct an independent analysis given that, in their view, biased reporting on drug trials was common, according to Diamandouros. But the EMA refused to pr... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3645053 Wed, 09 Jun 2010 13:21:12 +0100 3645053 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3603874&cid=t_100580_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2Fl9IEbYtopHU%2F The FDA has issued a warning that the popular Alli diet pill may cause a severe liver injury. The move comes three years after GlaxoSmithKline began marketing Alli as an over-the-counter version of Xenical, a prescription drug marketed by Roche (background) which, you may recall, fared poorly due to side effects such as leakages and oily discharges. Both contain the active ingredient known as orlistat. In explaining its decision, the FDA said it identified 13 cases of severe liver injury, with 12 coming from outside the US. The one case in the US involved Alli. Two patients died from liver failure and three required transplantation, although the agency emphasized that a cause-and-effect relationship has not been established (you can read more here). (Source: Pharmalot) Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3603874 Wed, 26 May 2010 17:43:13 +0100 3603874 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3564202&cid=t_100580_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2Fp-W5nW88_Ek%2F And so another working week will soon draw to a close. Already, we foresee brisk walks with the official Pharmalot mascot and cozy naps on the official Pharmalot couch. What will you do this weekend? Before getting carried away, there are those meetings and deadlines to conquer. So please join us as we quaffe a cup of stimulation and prepare for the day. And have a great weekend, whatever you do. See you soon… Pfizer And Strides Sign Deal For Oncology Drugs (Reuters) FDA Rejects Teva Petition To Block Generic Copaxone (Globes Online) How Valuable Is Arena’s Fat Pill? (Seeking Alpha) Diet Pills Are Bought Too Easily In The UK (BBC Watchdog) Florida May Tighten Psychotropic Drug Rules (Daytona Beach News-Journal) photo thx to tipiro on Flickr creative commons (Source: Pharmalot) Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3564202 Fri, 14 May 2010 12:04:38 +0100 3564202 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3212601&cid=t_100580_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F_JqHnduMapo%2F The Academy Award-winning director of ‘Rain Man’ and many other flicks just signed on to direct the controversial movie about obesity, which GlaxoSmithKline agreed to underwrite. The drugmaker continues to insist the effort is a philanthropic initiative - its share of revenues will be given to charity - and is designed to raise awareness (background). But yes, Glaxo does acknowledge selling the Alli diet pill, although the drugmaker continues to maintain that the Creative Coalition, a non-profit political and social advocacy group with backing from such stars as Alec Baldwin and Susan Sarandon, will have creative control. You can read a chat with a Glaxo exec in The Wrap. (Source: Pharmalot) Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3212601 Wed, 27 Jan 2010 13:28:43 +0100 3212601 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3185623&cid=t_100580_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F9HYVTOj3qBM%2F Nice to see you again. We hope your long holiday weekend was worthwhile and enjoyable, and that you had a chance to catch up on some pleasant endeavors. Now, though, the routine has returned. And that means girding for meetings and deadlines, of course. So to help you along, we have gathered a few items to jumpstart the day. Hope it goes well… FDA Warns About Counterfeit Alli Diet Pills (Associated Press) Pfizer, Teva May Bid For Ratiopharm (Reuters) AstraZeneca, Dako Reach Diagnostics Deal (PharmaTimes) (Source: Pharmalot) Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3185623 Tue, 19 Jan 2010 13:00:06 +0100 3185623 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3185444&cid=t_100580_111_f&fid=36048&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAHeartyLife%2F%7E3%2FhzKxvX3_7jU%2F Important press release from the FDA: Alli 60 mg capsules (120 count refill kit): Counterfeit Product [Posted 01/18/2010] FDA notified consumers and healthcare professionals about a counterfeit and potentially harmful version of Alli 60 mg capsules (120 count refill kit). The counterfeit version contained the controlled substance sibutramine and did not contain orlistat, the active ingredient. Sibutramine is a drug that should not be used in certain patient populations or without physician oversight. Sibutramine can also interact in a harmful way with other medications the consumer may be taking. GSK has determined that the counterfeit product has been sold over the internet. However, there is no evidence at this time that the counterfeit Alli product has been sold through other channe... A Hearty Life blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3185444 Mon, 18 Jan 2010 16:46:50 +0100 3185444 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3172197&cid=t_100580_150_f&fid=34889&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpharmamkting.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F01%2Fwhy-is-gsk-making-new-movie-about.html By now you probably have read about GSK's announcement that it will finance a NEW “hard-hitting” documentary about eating (see "Alli Marketer (GSK) To Produce Documentary Film on Eating"). [OK, it's not about obesity per se, but I expect to see a lot of fat, even obese people featured in the movie.]An Academy Award-winning director will be named on Jan. 25 at the Sundance Film Festival. I've asked to be invited to that Sundance announcement (see "GSK: Please Invite Me to the Sundance Panel & Screening of Your New Alli Inspired Documentary Film"). I am still waiting for GSK to make an offer.In case you don't know, GSK markets Alli, the over-the-counter (OTC) weight-loss drug with the "Oops, I pooped my pants" side effect (see "Alli Newspeak: Oily Spotting is 'Treatment Effect'"). Do... Pharma Marketing Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3172197 Thu, 14 Jan 2010 13:58:00 +0100 3172197 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3156666&cid=t_100580_150_f&fid=34768&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpharmagossip.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F01%2Fpharma-giles-writes.html A GSK production, coming to a cinema near you… …and who can forget the iconic scene where Kane (played by Alec Baldwin) is gorging himself in the ship’s canteen. Suddenly he clutches at his stomach, his face a picture of agony. Little does he know that his diet medication is consuming him from within.He falls to the ground, writhing with pain, as his crewmates look on helplessly. Suddenly, there is a ghastly, wet, tearing sound. “I think you need to change your spacesuit,” says Ripley.“Bugger,” replies Kane. “Third time today…”Story (Source: PharmaGossip) PharmaGossip blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3156666 Sat, 09 Jan 2010 12:12:00 +0100 3156666 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3153630&cid=t_100580_150_f&fid=38374&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FePharmaSummit%2F%7E3%2FiOJS9qmBLf4%2Fdiet-drug-maker-glaxo-to-pay-for-film.html (Source: ePharma Summit) ePharma Summit blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3153630 Fri, 08 Jan 2010 16:41:00 +0100 3153630 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3153624&cid=t_100580_150_f&fid=34889&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpharmamkting.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F01%2Fgsk-please-invite-me-to-sundance-panel.html According to the New York Times, "GlaxoSmithKline is getting into the movie business, pursuing an unusual and most likely controversial strategy to increase interest in a weight-loss drug." That drug, of course, is alli. "Glaxo, the pharmaceutical giant behind Alli, an over-the-counter weight-loss product, has decided that a good way to educate Americans about obesity — and increase sales of Alli — is to finance a “hard-hitting” documentary about eating" (see "Alli Marketer (GSK) To Produce Documentary Film on Eating").Rachel Ferdinando, a Glaxo marketing executive, summarized the film as “the ‘Inconvenient Truth’ of mindless eating,” with the story taking a “behind-closed-doors, fly-on-the-wall” approach that highlights unhealthy relationships people have with food.Fat... Pharma Marketing Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3153624 Thu, 07 Jan 2010 18:06:00 +0100 3153624 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3149317&cid=t_100580_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FGG8kFj-eUlY%2F The drugmaker sells the Alli over-the-counter diet pill, but says the film won’t be a marketing vehicle. Its partner and producer is the Creative Coalition, a non-profit political and social advocacy group with backing from such stars as Alec Baldwin and Susan Sarandon, The New York Times reports, adding an ‘Academy-award winning’ director will be named this month at the Sundance Film Festival. “This won’t be a marketing tool at all,” Robin Bronk, Creative Coalition’s executive director, tells the paper. This is “a natural progression of our mission to develop educational projects.” Glaxo marketing exec Rachel Ferdinando says a signed agreement gives full creative control to the director and Creative Coalition, and there are no expectations Alli will be mentio... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3149317 Thu, 07 Jan 2010 16:53:43 +0100 3149317 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2778688&cid=t_100580_150_f&fid=34889&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpharmamkting.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F09%2Fallis-new-marketing-strategy-enhance.html Back in June, I noted that TBWA took over the alli -- GSK's OTC weight-loss product -- account. "This is one of the greatest marketing challenges today," said an industry executive, who added that Alli has to overcome diet-pill stigmas, a challenging economic climate and lazy human nature -- as well as a horrendous side effect (“Side Effects of TBWA Win Include Unpleasant Alli Account”).Have you noticed that the new alli ads on TV and on the www.myalli.com web site have changed?Specifically, there is no direct mention of the "horrendous side effect" (ie, anal leakage). In addition, product claims are enhanced.The new ads feature testimonials from healthcare providers and consumers who are making product claims that go far beyond what is supported by the clinical trials that the FDA use... Pharma Marketing Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2778688 Tue, 08 Sep 2009 15:24:00 +0100 2778688 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2730357&cid=t_100580_150_f&fid=34889&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpharmamkting.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F08%2Fwill-alli-soon-be-only-fda-unapproved.html Alli has long been promoted as the "only FDA-approved over-the-counter weight loss aid." Soon, however, alli may be known as the "only FDA-UNapproved over-the-counter weight loss aid."That's because the FDA just issued an "Early Communication about Ongoing Safety" for orlistat, marketed as Alli and Xenical. Specifically, FDA is reviewing 32 reports between 1999 and 2008 of serious liver injury in patients taking orlistat. All but two involved prescription Xenical and occurred outside the United States (see here).FDA, however, recommends that "Consumers currently taking Xenical should continue to take it as prescribed and those using over-the-counter Alli should continue to use the product as directed."Should consumers of these products be concerned?I asked that question on the myalli.com c... Pharma Marketing Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2730357 Tue, 25 Aug 2009 12:18:00 +0100 2730357 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2469961&cid=t_100580_150_f&fid=34889&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpharmamkting.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F06%2Fweight-loss-drug-alli-on-life-support.html A new ad agency -- TBWA -- won GSK's weight loss alli account last week according to a recent Advertising Age article (“Side Effects of TBWA Win Include Unpleasant Alli Account”). If its efforts to save alli via a new advertising campaign fails, alli could be on “life support within 12 months,” says a marketing executive quoted in the article.But alli is already on life support! It's more likely to be dead in a couple of months.The first sign of trouble was when the alli blog (alliconnect) went silent back in September, 2008 (see "Has the alliconnect Blog Been Abandoned?"). Just prior to that Steve Burton -- who is credited with launching alliconnect -- was replaced by Karen Scollick as Vice President for US Weight Control at GSK (see "New Image for alliconnect Blog: Skinny Women")... Pharma Marketing Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2469961 Tue, 09 Jun 2009 14:47:00 +0100 2469961 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2447509&cid=t_100580_87_f&fid=34595&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnhsblogdoc.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F05%2Falli-orlistat-fast-buck-pharmacists-are.html In the USA, advertisers are allowed to compare one product with another. Knocking copy is definitely the order of the day, and five minutes Alli & Orlistat research on YouTube produces some hilarious results, as seen above. What fun. I wish we had adverts like this in the UK.The advert is, I now learn, monstrously unfair. An NHS BLOG DOCTOR reader writes in to tell me that Orlistat & Alli do work, and do not cause shitty knickers (or, as they prefer to say in the land of the free, poopy pants)As a fat person who's tried Orlistat I would like to state the following:Orlistat does not cause "shitty pant" syndrome. What it does cause is flatulence which is impossible to hold in. The stuff that comes out isa) runny b) very fattyc) bright oranged) stinks to high heavene) impossible to r... NHS Blog Doctor blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2447509 Sun, 31 May 2009 09:03:00 +0100 2447509 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2376624&cid=t_100580_134_f&fid=34841&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.diabetesmine.com%2F2009%2F04%2Fideo-on-designing-for-healthdiabetes.html IDEO is the world-renown design firm that transformed Kaiser Permanente’s modus operandi. They made the cover of BusinessWeek a few years ago.  They’ve won scores of design competitions themselves. So needless to say, we’re delighted to have them on board for the DiabetesMine Design Challenge, open for submissions until May 1, 2009 (so get movin’!).  IDEO [...] (Source: Diabetes Mine) Diabetes Mine blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2376624 Mon, 27 Apr 2009 13:00:10 +0100 2376624 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2301663&cid=t_100580_150_f&fid=34889&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpharmamkting.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F03%2Fdo-fat-people-like-wyonna-judds-music.html "Consumers purchasing GlaxoSmithKline's weight loss drug Alli will receive a free copy of Wynonna Judd's new album Sing," reports MM&M (see "GSK pairs Wynonna Judd album with Alli").This assumes that:Many Wynonna Judd fans need alli, orFat people like Wynonna Judd's music, oralli needs Wynonna Judd, orWynonna Judd needs alli, orNone of the above, orAll of the aboveWhich do you think is true?"I hope that I can inspire people to be better... that they can see themselves in me and say, 'If she can do it, I can do it,'" said Judd.I don't know if Judd has "done it" (lost weight with alli) or not. But if you juxtapose her image on the Sing album cover to the image GSK uses in its promotion of alli, one of two things are possible:If the album photo of Judd was taken after the alli photo, then... Pharma Marketing Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2301663 Fri, 20 Mar 2009 16:51:00 +0100 2301663 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2279758&cid=t_100580_150_f&fid=34889&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpharmamkting.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F03%2Fdo-fat-people-like-wyonna-judds-music.html "Consumers purchasing GlaxoSmithKline's weight loss drug Alli will receive a free copy of Wynonna Judd's new album Sing," reports MM&M (see "GSK pairs Wynonna Judd album with Alli").This assumes that:Many Wyonna Judd fans need alli, orFat people like Wyonna Judd's music, oralli needs Wyonna Judd, orWyonna Judd needs alli, orNone of the above, orAll of the aboveWhich do you think is true?"I hope that I can inspire people to be better... that they can see themselves in me and say, 'If she can do it, I can do it,'" said Judd.I don't know if Judd has "done it" (lost weight with alli) or not. But if you juxtapose her image on the Sing album cover to the image GSK uses in its promotion of alli, one of two things are possible:If the album photo of Judd was taken after the alli photo, then all... Pharma Marketing Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2279758 Fri, 20 Mar 2009 16:51:00 +0100 2279758 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2094817&cid=t_100580_150_f&fid=34768&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpharmagossip.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F01%2Fwynonna-judd-mugshot-of-alli.html StoryCountry singer Wynonna Judd was arrested in November 2003 for drunk driving. Following a traffic stop, Nashville cops detected the smell of booze on the 39-year-old performer, whose eyes were watery and dilated. After consenting to a Breathalyzer, Judd blew a .175--more than twice the Tennessee limit. TSG (Source: PharmaGossip) PharmaGossip blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2094817 Sat, 10 Jan 2009 13:11:00 +0100 2094817 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2089985&cid=t_100580_150_f&fid=34889&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpharmamkting.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F01%2Fcountry-music-superstar-judds-corner.html (Source: Pharma Marketing Blog) Pharma Marketing Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2089985 Thu, 08 Jan 2009 21:12:00 +0100 2089985 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1920956&cid=t_100580_150_f&fid=34768&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpharmagossip.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F10%2Fgsk-alli-approved-for-eu.html Orlistat 60mg (Alli) has been recommended as a non-prescription product by the European Medicines Agency’s Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use.The prescription-only to non-prescription switch will be the first time the status of a medicine has been changed centrally, allowing approval of Alli in all 27 EU member states by the end of 2008. A spokeswoman for GlaxoSmithKline, the company behind the switch application, said there were plans to launch Alli in the UK in 2009.Orlistat 60mg will be indicated for weight loss in adults with a body mass index of 28 or more, and should be taken in conjunction with a reduced calorie, lower-fat diet.The spokeswoman added: “If successful, GSK will provide comprehensive training and education for pharmacy staff so that they are able to advi... PharmaGossip blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1920956 Thu, 30 Oct 2008 16:48:00 +0100 1920956 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1764353&cid=t_100580_150_f&fid=36082&url=http%3A%2F%2Falliconnect.com%2Farchive%2F2008%2F09%2F03%2Falli-is-the-proud-sponsor-of-breast-cancer-network-of-strength.aspx You may have noticed the proud sponsor of BreastCancer Network of Strength logo at the end of this week's alli television ads. But, you might not be familiar with the organization because they used to be called Y-ME National BreastCancer Organization.  BreastCancer Network of Strength provides support to people touched by breastcancer through its YourShoes 24/7 Support Center.  As part of this center, you can talk to someone (1-800-221-2141) who has walked in your shoes because all of the peer counselors are breastcancer survivors.  Having worked on the project, I can tell you the passion and enthusiasm that the organization has for helping those touched by breastcancer. I am proud to say that I wear their pin everyday.  Like many others,... alliConnect blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1764353 Wed, 03 Sep 2008 19:27:00 +0100 1764353 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1723773&cid=t_100580_150_f&fid=36082&url=http%3A%2F%2Falliconnect.com%2Farchive%2F2008%2F08%2F21%2Fwelcome-to-alliconnect-year-two.aspx Hello. I’m Karen Scollick and I’m pleased to be leading the new Behavioral Science team for GSK Consumer Healthcare, which includes alli as well as our smoking control products.  As I mentioned in my bio, I enjoy sailing and I see a number of parallels between sailing and my new role.Christopher Columbus stated, “By prevailing over all obstacles and distractions, one may unfailingly arrive at his chosen goal or destination.” As we have celebrated alli’s first birthday this summer, we have heard from hundreds of alli users who are transforming their lives. Many of these stories are captured in our just-launched allicircles community as well as our special anniversary book, “we lost it.” Behind the images and stories that summarize these journeys exist poignant recou... alliConnect blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1723773 Thu, 21 Aug 2008 11:03:00 +0100 1723773 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1700710&cid=t_100580_150_f&fid=34889&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpharmamkting.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F08%2Fnew-image-for-alliconnect-blog-skinny.html "The official blog of GlaxoSmithKline’s Alli diet drug franchise has suddenly adopted a decidedly different voice," points out Jim Edwards over at BNET's Pharma Industry Blog in a post titled "GSK’s Alli Diet Drug Has Problems With Your 'Fat Friend'".This different voice has coincided with the reorganization of the alli franchise at GSK, which I commented on in a previous post to Pharma Marketing Blog (see "The alli lesson: Pharma marketing is not ready for transparency").I thought the change would involve the transparency championed by Steve Burton, the blog's founder and former Vice President of Weight Control for GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare. After all, as Jim points out, Burton was most famous for the straight-talking way in which he tackled Alli’s “treatment effects” ... Pharma Marketing Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1700710 Tue, 12 Aug 2008 11:24:00 +0100 1700710 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1635187&cid=t_100580_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F337998797%2F Glaxo’s Consumer Healthcare unit this week began a series of layoffs of an unspecified number of employees as part of a restructuring that also includes moving its weight control and smoking cessation groups from Pennsylvania to New Jersey, The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports. The consumer unit employs about 1,200 throughout the US, including 500 in Moon, Pennsvlaniva, 400 in Parsippany, New Jersey, and 300 in field sales, and markets more than 30 brands, such as Tums antacids, Contact cold medicine, Breathe Right nasal strips and Aquafresh toothpaste. The weight control group - which markets the Alli diet pill - and the smoking cessation group - which includes the NicoDerm, Nicorette and Commit products - are being merged into one business called “behavioral sciences” th... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1635187 Thu, 17 Jul 2008 12:11:09 +0100 1635187 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1606316&cid=t_100580_150_f&fid=36082&url=http%3A%2F%2Falliconnect.com%2Farchive%2F2008%2F07%2F10%2Fshed-the-pounds-share-the-clothes.aspx "For women, clothing matters. How she is dressed when she walks into an interview affects her self-esteem, confidence and her power as a woman," said Joi Gordon, CEO for Dress for Success Worldwide (DFS), a global non-profit organization that provides work attire and career support to disadvantaged women.  For this reason, we are encouraging those who lost weight to give their professional attire to the local DFS as they lose weight. So far, approximately 35,000 units of clothing have been donated through this campaign.  Experts say keeping pre-weight loss clothes isn't good for your new healthy lifestyle, so why not donate them to a great cause? And, as part of the support, alli has also donated $75,000 to Dress for Success Worldwide to suppor... alliConnect blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1606316 Thu, 10 Jul 2008 15:01:00 +0100 1606316 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1560844&cid=t_100580_150_f&fid=34889&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpharmamkting.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F07%2Fnew-alli-plan-to-gain-market-share.html Yesterday, I said that I opted out of my alli challenge and won't be trying it (see "I Opt-Out of My alli Challenge!"). I felt it required just too much effort and expense.I neglected to mention that the diet aisle at my local CVS was crowded with other weight loss products -- mostly dietary supplements, which are loosely regulated: they are considered foods and do not have to go through safety and efficacy testing to gain FDA approval. Supplements can make "structure and function" claims -- such as "calcium builds strong bones" -- but they cannot claim to treat disease.GSK, the marketer of the weight-loss OTC drug alli, according to this story in the NJ Star-Ledger, has filed a petition with the FDA "to require supplement companies making weight-loss claims to conduct clinical studies to ... Pharma Marketing Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1560844 Tue, 01 Jul 2008 17:45:00 +0100 1560844 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1594063&cid=t_100580_150_f&fid=36082&url=http%3A%2F%2Falliconnect.com%2Farchive%2F2008%2F07%2F01%2Falli-users-at-millions-event-Connie.aspx Connie D. looked like she'd always been comfortable in her size four skin as she strutted the runway in her custom black dress, made for her by Project Runway's Laura Bennett, at last week's Millions Event. To date Connie has lost a total of 60 lbs. and looks and feels great. But, she knows the road does not end here. "When I made this decision, it wasn't for a short time; it's for a lifetime." Nearly 50 successful alli users gathered in the Big Apple to share their stories as a part of the one-year alli anniversary. Connie and 13 other alli users are telling their success stories in a short book titled, "We Lost It."  The book is available on allimillions.com. Most of the real-life stories, including Connie's, are also on myalli.com.  And ... alliConnect blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1594063 Tue, 01 Jul 2008 16:55:00 +0100 1594063 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1556328&cid=t_100580_150_f&fid=34889&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpharmamkting.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F06%2Fi-opt-out-of-my-alli-challenge.html Sorry, but I just cannot bring myself to try alli as I challenged myself to do a few days ago (see "Take alli - I dare you!").I went to my local CVS and spotted the diet section and alli was there in a very prominent, top-shelf location with lots of pamphlets, neat flip open panels that displayed information about alli ("what is alli?", "how does it work?", "what's the plan?" -- just flip up the panel and find out!) and even a window-shade gizmo that could be pulled down to reveal 6 questions or conditions I should agree to before trying alli.Plan? Commitment?What? Am I getting married to this product?Somehow it made me feel right off the bat that if the pill didn't work, it was my fault for not being committed enough and not following the plan! Sounds like marriage to me![Maybe the commit... Pharma Marketing Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1556328 Mon, 30 Jun 2008 17:32:00 +0100 1556328 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1531257&cid=t_100580_150_f&fid=34889&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpharmamkting.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F06%2Ftake-alli-i-dare-you.html Much has been said about alli's "treatment effect" -- ie, anal leakage and brown pants. Although Wall Street analysts don't attribute alli's lackluster sales to this problem, many bloggers and other critics do.Insider -- the blogger over at PharmaGossip -- had this to say in a comment to yesterday's post:"It's hard to gild a turd!"[Perhaps "Gee Dubya's TURD POLISH" shown on left may help? Kudos to theBlatantTruth for this image.]"No big deal" is what I hear from the folks at alliConnect Blog. Just bring brown pants with you if you go out. That statement from the FORMER Vice President of Weight Control for GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare, although Web 2.0 compliant, may have cost him his job.The alli Dare!I am a believer in first-hand experience -- especially if I am to criticize someth... Pharma Marketing Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1531257 Fri, 20 Jun 2008 12:49:00 +0100 1531257 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1531258&cid=t_100580_150_f&fid=34889&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpharmamkting.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F06%2Falli-lesson-pharma-marketing-is-not.html According to the alliConnect Blog:"In the marketing profession, change is a constant. At alliconnect, we've recently had a change in leadership."Founding alliconnect blogger, Steve Burton, recently resigned from his position as Vice President of Weight Control for GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare. Steve was instrumental to the creation of alliconnect blog and his blog entry on his oops experience is still one of the most visited posts to date."IMHO, the resignation of Mr. Burton specifically signals the end of the alliConnect Blog -- or at least the transparency it has championed -- and may portend the retreat of pharma marketing away from Web 2.0 principles in general.The sales of alli have not lived up to expectations and analysts suggest that all this "transparency" about diet and ex... Pharma Marketing Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1531258 Thu, 19 Jun 2008 18:39:00 +0100 1531258 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1531226&cid=t_100580_150_f&fid=34768&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpharmagossip.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F06%2Fgsk-alli-anyone-know-where-steve-burton.html From the alli blog:In the marketing profession, change is a constant. At alliconnect, we've recently had a change in leadership. Founding alliconnect blogger, Steve Burton, recently resigned from his position as Vice President of Weight Control for GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare. Steve was instrumental to the creation of alliconnect blog and his blog entry on his oops experience is still one of the most visited posts to date. You will soon be introduced to Karen Scollick, the newly appointed Vice President for US Weight Control at GSK. Karen has held many leadership opositions in the GSK Consumer Healthcare business, the most recent as the General Manager for GSK Consumer Healthcare Canadian and Puerto Rico.Look for her first post on alliconnect in the coming weeks.Insider's view: Res... PharmaGossip blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1531226 Thu, 19 Jun 2008 05:38:00 +0100 1531226 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1512330&cid=t_100580_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F310365720%2F Introduced to much fanfare a year ago, the Alli diet pill isn’t fattening Glaxo’s bottom line. The over-the-counter weight-loss pill has been tried by about 4 million people since then, but that is less than some Wall Streeters were expecting. Given the craving among Americans to lose weight, the preliminary figures are “pretty pretty underwhelming,” Steve Brozak, an analyst with WBB Securities, tells the Associated Press. The problem, he says, may be that the marketing campaign stresses the need to transform eating and exercise habits for it to be effective, which isn’t easy to do through advertising. And perhaps people who are willing to make lifestyle changs are less likely to be interested in diet pills, he adds. But Joe Cadle, director of marketing for G... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1512330 Thu, 12 Jun 2008 12:25:50 +0100 1512330 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1512154&cid=t_100580_150_f&fid=34768&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpharmagossip.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F06%2Fno-sht-gsks-alli-sales-pretty.html ALLI CAT -Story (Source: PharmaGossip) PharmaGossip blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1512154 Thu, 12 Jun 2008 07:06:00 +0100 1512154 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1480968&cid=t_100580_150_f&fid=36082&url=http%3A%2F%2Falliconnect.com%2Farchive%2F2008%2F05%2F29%2Fmeet-cheryl-alli-user-and-pharmacist.aspx A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to meet alli user Cheryl H. as we filmed alli's latest commercial in her house (yes, in her house).  We chose her for the ad after reading the story that she submitted to the real stories section of myalli.com.  Cheryl works as a pharmacist at a local independent pharmacy, she is married with two teenagers, and volunteers in her community. Like many of us, she juggles a busy schedule and did not want to take something that would reduce her ability to focus. Being an alli user who is also a pharmacist, she is also able to share her experience with people that she come into her pharmacy for help. "When people come into the pharmacy and ask questions about any medication, it's always easier to... alliConnect blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1480968 Thu, 29 May 2008 13:00:00 +0100 1480968 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1466036&cid=t_100580_150_f&fid=34768&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpharmagossip.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F05%2Fattention-alli-users.html "Dishes targeted to health-conscious consumers at popular chains such as Chili's, Taco Bell and Applebee's contained as much as twice the calories and eight times the grams of fat than the restaurants claimed in their published nutrition information," reports Isaac Wolf, citing research done in eight cities by television stations affiliated with the Scripps media chain.The worst offender was the Macaroni Grill, a restaurant chain owned by Brinker International. Its "Pollo Margo Skinny Chicken" was supposed to have 500 calories but actually had 1,022, with 49 grams of fat rather than the promised 6."People have a right to know what's in their food," said Margo Wootan of the Center for Science in the Public Interest. "How can you exercise personal responsibility and make an informed choice i... PharmaGossip blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1466036 Fri, 23 May 2008 16:54:00 +0100 1466036 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1446052&cid=t_100580_150_f&fid=34768&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpharmagossip.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F05%2Fanal-leakage.html The "ins and outs"! (Source: PharmaGossip) PharmaGossip blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1446052 Fri, 16 May 2008 03:56:00 +0100 1446052 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1432939&cid=t_100580_150_f&fid=36082&url=http%3A%2F%2Falliconnect.com%2Farchive%2F2008%2F05%2F08%2Fwhy.aspx Anyone who’s looked around the weight loss section of a drugstore or watched the ads on TV knows that some products promise to help you lose weight quickly and easily. The problem is that little, if any, evidence supports these claims – and some of them are outrageous. According to the Federal Trade Commission, more Americans are victimized by weight loss fraud than any other activity they survey. Make no mistake about it. The FTC and the FDA work hard to address this problem, but more products keep flooding into the market, making unsupported claims. I believe this situation needs to change. I’ve spent a lot of time listening to consumers and experts on weight and health who want to see it change, too.  Perhaps you’ve heard that GSK recently joined three organ... alliConnect blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1432939 Fri, 09 May 2008 00:42:00 +0100 1432939 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1426771&cid=t_100580_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F285352966%2F The drugmaker, which sells the Alli over-the-counter fat pill, has filed a citizen’s petition in hopes of convincing the FDA to change the rules governing health claims made by dietary supplement manufacturers. The gambit turns on the notion that weight-loss supplements should be vetted for claims that address a disease - and in this case, being overweight is a risk for various diseases. In its petition (look here), Glaxo argues any claims that a supplement will reduce a risk factor for disease is, in fact, a disease claim and, as a result, weight-loss supplement manufacturers should be forced to substantiate their claims through petitions before selling their own pills. Which diseases are we talking about? High cholesterol, diabetes and high blood pressure. “…many Americ... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1426771 Wed, 07 May 2008 13:07:46 +0100 1426771 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1395111&cid=t_100580_150_f&fid=34768&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpharmagossip.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F04%2Fgsk-alli-slimming-sales.html GlaxoSmithKline's US fat buster's first-quarter sterling sales failed to get into double figures.Alli recorded sales of just £9.0 million (€11.2 million) in the first quarter of this year. GSK put this down to inventory issues.US market demand for Alli was still strong, the company said, with underlying demand estimated by retail data to have been worth £35 million in consumer sales.Alli generated sales of around £160 million in the nine-month period between its launch last June and the end of the first quarter. (Source: PharmaGossip) PharmaGossip blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1395111 Thu, 24 Apr 2008 09:15:00 +0100 1395111 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1352022&cid=t_100580_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2008%2F04%2F05%2Fthinner-but-sadder%2F Sadly, few things in life come without effort. Being thin is one of them (at least for most, especially once outside of their 20s). Being overweight is the norm now in America, although it ranges from a few extra pounds to obesity. Women seem to struggle with weight issues more than men, and things like eating disorders are far more prevalent amongst women. So the success of Alli, the only FDA approved over-the- counter weight-loss aid for overweight adults, is not surprising. If we all could lose a few pounds by just taking a pill (in conjunction with a sensible diet and exercise, of course), why not? Seeing the success of Alli, other drug companies are looking to market their own versions of safe, over-the-counter weight loss pills that are proven to work. One such drug is called rimo... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1352022 Sat, 05 Apr 2008 12:25:56 +0100 1352022 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1344715&cid=t_100580_150_f&fid=36082&url=http%3A%2F%2Falliconnect.com%2Farchive%2F2008%2F04%2F01%2FTastes-so-good-it_2700_s-rated-_2300_1-by-epicurious.com-_2800_DRAFT_2900_.aspx As part of the alli program, we offer meal plans and restaurant guides within the packaging, customized meal plans on myalliplan, and two alli cookbooks. Also, Steve discussed last June that alli is compatible with low-fat reduced-calorie options like Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig or Nutrisystems, We know that some alli users may want meal options that are convenient and fresh.  Last month we announced a partnership with eDiets and now the meal plan is available through eDiets.  eDiets is rated #1 for best taste and nutrition by epicurious.com. And, you can choose your preferences. An example of sample meal plan could include Denver Style Potato Skillet (breakfast), Oven Roasted Turkey with Cranberry Wild Rice Salad (Lunch) and Tu... alliConnect blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1344715 Tue, 01 Apr 2008 20:00:00 +0100 1344715 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1331641&cid=t_100580_150_f&fid=36082&url=http%3A%2F%2Falliconnect.com%2Farchive%2F2008%2F03%2F27%2Falli-users_2C00_-the-Motons.aspx In the final part of our spotlight on African American health we'd like to introduce Joe and Jackie Moton. After 18 years of marriage and weight struggles, it wasn’t until returning from a vacation last year that the Motons took their health seriously. “We looked at our pictures and we did not like what we saw,” said Jackie Trapps-Moton, 46. Joe Moton, at his heaviest weighed 420 pounds. and Jackie weighed in at 276 pounds.  Here's their story. Q: What was the most difficult change you made when deciding to lose weight?Jackie: The biggest thing we learned was how to cook things differently.  Traditionally, everything we ate was fried.  But now we bake, grill, broil - we don’t fry anything.  Q: Joe, as a man were you hesitant about dieting?A: I’m the mo... alliConnect blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1331641 Thu, 27 Mar 2008 20:54:00 +0100 1331641 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1270685&cid=t_100580_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F243923176%2F It may not be a trend, but pharma is tip-toeing into the blogosphere. Last year, you may recall, Centocor’s parent created JNJBTW, or Johnson & Johnson By The Way, a now-and-then forum for one of the health care giant’s corporate communications people to chat about various doings and explain why J&J behaves as it does. That was quickly followed by a blog for Glaxo’s Alli, the OTC diet pill which, not surprisingly given the topic, generated more interactive discussion, albeit of the highly restricted form. So now, Centocor is feeling emboldened and rolling out its own version, called CNTO411. Not a great name - CNTO refers to the code Centocor gives drugs under development. And the look is pretty bland. But like JNJBTW, there are hopes and dreams: “We have ... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1270685 Sat, 01 Mar 2008 16:35:51 +0100 1270685 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1191351&cid=t_100580_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2008%2F01%2F31%2Foops-they-did-it-again-to-britney-spears%2F For the second time in a month, Britney Spears has been hospitalized for her mental health concerns. And not exactly in a quiet or private way. The Los Angeles Times reported this morning that Britney Spears’ was taken to the UCLA Medical Center under a “mental health evaluation hold,” a period of 72 hours when the hospital will once again evaluate Ms. Spears’ mental health and whether she is being compliant with her treatment regimen. This is the second time Ms. Spears has been hospitalized this month under a mental health evaluation hold (called a “5150″ in California parlance). The first occurred on Jan. 3 when she refused to return her two sons to former husband Kevin Federline. She was committed to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center at that time and released... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1191351 Thu, 31 Jan 2008 14:04:40 +0100 1191351 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1117868&cid=t_100580_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F206671457%2F Belated holiday greetings, especially to those who encountered Santa yesterday. Officially, we are off this week, but since our e-mail is easily clogged, we thought we would stop by while conducting some housecleaning and drop off a few interesting items. See you shortly…. Researchers Hunt For Suicide Gene (The Salt Lake City Tribune) Idera Pharmaceuticals President Resigns (Yahoo/AP) Cohen Boosts Stake In Pharmion (The Wall Street Journal) Celebrex Blocks Unwanted Effects Of Morphine (Reuters) Researchers Ponder Genes That Influence Alzheimer’s (The New York Times) Glaxo’s Alli Is Headed For The UK (The Daily Mail) Share / E-mail (Source: Pharmalot) Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1117868 Wed, 26 Dec 2007 20:27:03 +0100 1117868 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1106343&cid=t_100580_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F202857620%2F This is time of year when everyone wants to compose a list. And Time magazine is expert at this exercise. One such compendium is the Top Ten Medical Breakthroughs in 2007, which is dominated by discoveries, such as a test for metastatic breast cancer, a clinical trial showing circumcision reduces HIV transmission, a human vaccine for bird flu and research into genetic variants for diabetes. But there are a few drugs, too. Curiously, the magazine’s editors chose Alli, the diet pill, as the No. 4 breakthrough. Perhaps they liked the marketing effort or the fact that a prescription isn’t needed, but this is hardly a breakthrough. Alli is an over-the-counter version of Xenical, a prescription med that Roche struggled to turn into a success for nearly a decade. Moreover, as the mag ... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1106343 Wed, 19 Dec 2007 17:52:46 +0100 1106343 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1007269&cid=t_100580_150_f&fid=34889&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpharmamkting.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F11%2Ftop-hat-and-alli-tales.html Last week, in my post "I'm Puttin' on the Ritz Tonight!" over at Pharma BlogosphereTM, I challenged -- well, not exactly challenged; more like offered a prize to -- any pharma blogger to rewrite the lyrics to "Puttin' On the Ritz" to be more relevant to the pharmaceutical industry.Pharma Giles was up to the challenge and wrote this for me (see his post, "Top Hat and Tails..."):"I have no idea if John Mack is an Alli user, but if he is, then this is for him...Top Hat And Alli TalesHave you seen the overweightWobbling up the Broadwalk, mate?On that famous thoroughfareBrown stains in their underwear“Treatment effects” and “oily spotting”Incontinence pads and buttocks poppingTaking Alli every dayLosing weight the Glaxo wayIf you're fat and you don’t mindwhere you have to go and you d... Pharma Marketing Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1007269 Tue, 06 Nov 2007 13:01:00 +0100 1007269 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=907051&cid=t_100580_150_f&fid=34889&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpharmamkting.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F09%2Fpill-plan-profit-chantix.html Slow and steady wins the race. That is the message of the new Chantix TV DTC (direct to consumer) ads that feature a race between a tortoise and a hare.The Chantix tortoise is not related to the Comcastic "Slowsky's" shown in this YouTube video (one of my favorite TV commercials!):BTW, the hare on the Chantix TV ad is a scrawny, reddish -- devilish, may one say? -- hare; not a cute cuddly rabbit like the Everyready bunny!Yet, strange to say, this devilish-looking hare does NOT make it to the Chantix Web site, which features a much more ordinary and benign-looking RABBIT (see image on left, click to enlarge).All this imagery serves a purpose -- the Chantix marketers are telling us that quitting smoking is long process requiring a steady, tortoise-like approach.According to the Web site:"Qui... Pharma Marketing Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=907051 Thu, 27 Sep 2007 11:16:00 +0100 907051 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=864408&cid=t_100580_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F155114479%2F The little drugmaker disclosed study results this morning indicating its experimental obesity pill doesn’t appear to cause the kind of heart-valve damage that forced Wyeth to withdraw two diet pills - one-half of the fen-phen combo and a related pill, Redux - exactly a decade ago. An independent safety-monitoring group recommended that a two-year trial of 3,100 patients continue after scans showed no increased risk of heart damage following six months on the pill, compared with a placebo. “It’s an important milestone to help us understand the safety of our drug,” Jack Lief, Arena’s ceo, tells Bloomberg News. “If we had a fen-phen type of effect on the heart, we should see it by now.” Known as lorcaserin, the drug is designed to stimulate a protein... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=864408 Tue, 11 Sep 2007 16:53:58 +0100 864408 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=864409&cid=t_100580_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F155093256%2F The folks at Mental Floss, the provocative web site that prompts you to laugh and tax your brain all at once, are daring us to match drugs with side effects. Perhaps they think everyone is paying attention to those fast-as-lightning disclaimers announced at the tail end of TV ads. In any event, here is the list of drugs, followed by the list of side effects. Take a look, then go to the Mental Floss Pop Quiz (right here), type in your answers and see how much you really know… 1 - Alli 2 - Levitra 3 - Accutane 4 - Rogaine 5 - Ambien 6 - Botox 7 - Lipitor 8 - Topamax 9 - Frontline Plus 10 - Paxil “Babies born to mothers who have taken [this drug] in the latter half of pregnancy have reported complications, including difficulties with breathing, turning blue, floppiness, stiffness,... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=864409 Tue, 11 Sep 2007 16:07:44 +0100 864409 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=736293&cid=t_100580_150_f&fid=34889&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpharmamkting.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F07%2Falli-marketer-explains-treatment.html Back on June 12, 2007, I noted that the alli marketers applied newspeak principles to direct-to-consumer (DTC) advertising by referring to the drug's oily spotting side effects as "treatment effects." (See Alli Newspeak: Oily Spotting is "Treatment Effect".)Joe Cadle -- official alli marketing director and self-proclaimed "Mr. Marketing Guy" over at the alliConnect blog -- argues that "calling them side effects is actually misleading."Here's his "actual" logic:"Side effects are generally unrelated to what a drug is trying to fix and often are harmful."For example, I take a calcium channel blocker to lower my blood pressure. It also makes me dizzy. But I don't take the channel blocker to get dizzy. If I wanted to get dizzy, I could chase around my 4 kids and 2 dogs."When you take alli, the ... Pharma Marketing Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=736293 Mon, 16 Jul 2007 11:31:00 +0100 736293 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=729956&cid=t_100580_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F132987201%2F The Alliconnect blog is only about a month old but doesn’t have many comments, which isn’t surprising. Why? Well, it’s new. And it is a corporate site named after a product and so if people write in to discuss their experiences with Alli - Glaxo’s over-the-counter diet pill - the comments must be reviewed for regulatory reasons and may not appear. So a corporate blogging consultant hired by the drugmaker is trying to drum up reader involvement. Debbie Weil urged her own blog readers to “head on over” to the Alli site and comment. She then wrote a private note to some public relations colleagues asking them to do the same. Weil called it a “shameless request” and ended by saying: “No need to say that you know me, of course.” Weil w... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=729956 Thu, 12 Jul 2007 13:20:36 +0100 729956 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=688820&cid=t_100580_147_f&fid=35750&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FHealthCareVox%2F%7E3%2F126766680%2Ffdas_regulation_of_otc_product.html   Earlier this month GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) launched a blog, alliconnect, that supports its marketing efforts for its new Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved over the counter (OTC) weight loss drug, Alli (pronounced ally).  It has received attention in and out of the blogosphere, because it as one of the first "branded" pharma-sponsored blogs.  In addition, the blog was a major topic during a social media virtual workshop I hosted earlier this week (click here to learn more and enroll).  Some of the workshop participants were wondering how the FDA regulates OTC products and what GSK's efforts mean for social media marketing.  Addressing this issue will tell us how many lessons we can apply from GlaxoSmithKline’s social media experime... HealthCareVox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=688820 Thu, 21 Jun 2007 17:32:46 +0100 688820 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=682737&cid=t_100580_87_f&fid=34865&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thecancerblog.com%2F2007%2F06%2F19%2Fdiet-drug-xenical-renamed-alli-still-a-cancer-worry%2F Filed under: Breast Cancer, Drug, Colon and Rectal Cancer, Daily newsPrescription weight-loss drug Xenical hit drugstore shelves on Friday with a new name -- Alli (pronounced: "Al-eye") and with a new non-prescription strength. The newly-named drug is to be more effective with less unpleasureable side effects. Still, there's a problem surrounding this drug, regardless of its name. It's thought to cause colon cancer.The nonprofit group Public Citizen says Alli, made by GlaxoSmithKline, has been shown in mice studies to cause pre-cancerous lesions in the colon. Since there are no long-term studies on humans, this group believes the FDA should not have approved the drug for non-prescription use. It's not clear whether or not the pre-cancerous spots will lead to colon cancer but the mere sugge... The Cancer Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=682737 Tue, 19 Jun 2007 04:00:00 +0100 682737 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=682754&cid=t_100580_87_f&fid=34867&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thediabetesblog.com%2F2007%2F06%2F18%2Fbeware-the-wrath-of-alli%2F Filed under: Type 2, Adult Onset, Diet, Drugs, Research, Products, SupportIt's here and you should know all about the first over the counter FDA approved weight loss pill, alli. A word of caution: if you're a cheater on your diets - it seems like Glaxo is raising red flags before things get messy. No seriously, read on to find out what I'm talking about. Alli works by preventing your body from absorbing some of the fat you eat. It attaches to natural enzymes in the digestive system and prevents absorption of fat from the foods you eat. Undigested fat cannot be absorbed and passes through the body naturally. I know you're wondering about side effects, so here you go: the most common treatment effects (as they're eloquently called) come from eating meals with too much fat. The unabsorbed ex... The Diabetes Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=682754 Mon, 18 Jun 2007 04:00:00 +0100 682754 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=675341&cid=t_100580_109_f&fid=34800&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FClinicalPsychologyAndPsychiatryACloserLook%2F%7E3%2F124205314%2Fselling-organization.html Bob Fiddaman has an interesting post about the Obesity Society and its ties to GlaxoSmithKline, maker of the weight loss pill Alli. Yes, the Alli of I Pooped My Pants fame.Bob noted that, in the new video promoting Alli, it is mentioned that a portion of sales of a new book that discusses weight loss will be donated to the Obesity Society. Bob connects the dots by noting that the Obesity Society needed funding, GSK provides some funding for the Obesity Society, and that GSK was about to launch a diet pill (Alli). I also noticed that, on the Obesity Society's website, it is stated thatOn February 7th, the Food and Drug Administration approved Alli, an over-the-counter version of orlistat (trade name Xenical). Alli, manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline, will be available in June. It is a 60mg v... Clinical Psychology and Psychiatry: A Closer Look blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=675341 Tue, 12 Jun 2007 12:05:00 +0100 675341 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=675616&cid=t_100580_150_f&fid=34889&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpharmamkting.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F06%2Falli-newspeak-oily-spotting-is.html George Orwell coined the phrase "newspeak" in his 1948 novel Nineteen Eighty-Four (1984). In the novel, it is described as being "the only language in the world whose vocabulary gets smaller every year." An example of Orwellian newspeak is the elimination of the word 'bad' and replacing it with "ungood." That sort of thing. Eventually, by eliminating enough words you can make anything sound less "ungood" as exemplified by the slogan "War is Peace."Now another well-known British entity -- GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) -- has applied newspeak principles to direct-to-consumer (DTC) advertising. It's latest promotional video for the over-the-counter diet pill ("treatment") Alli blatantly replaces all the nasty-sounding Alli side effect terminology -- including "Oily Spotting," "Flatus with Discharge,"... Pharma Marketing Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=675616 Tue, 12 Jun 2007 11:06:00 +0100 675616 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=631583&cid=t_100580_150_f&fid=34889&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpharmamkting.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F05%2Falli-ad-campaign-promises-honesty-but.html Do you have a "extra pair of pants" with you today! GSK recommends you do when starting a regimen of its over-the-counter diet pill alli! But you might also sh*t your pants when you hear how much GSK is spending on its Alli ad campaign this year -- $150 million!I think I read that right in the WSJ article "Company Touts Over-The-Counter Diet Pill."But the year is nearly half over! On an annual basis then, GSK is spending closer to $300 million promoting this product!I've blogged about the pooping-in-pants side effect of alli before (see "Alli Oops! I Just Pooped Myself!"). It's going to take some effective marketing BS to counteract that!And what's GSK marketing strategy?Is Alli Honesty the Best Policy?"We've done everything to go out of our way to be honest," said Steve Burton, vice presi... Pharma Marketing Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=631583 Wed, 23 May 2007 11:17:00 +0100 631583 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=499342&cid=t_100580_113_f&fid=34933&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpalmdoc.net%2F%3Fp%3D1231 Alli Flowers of MyTreo.net has come up with a great article on Agendus Calendar Capabilities I don’t use a dedicated patient appointment software - simply Outlook on my Desktop and Agendus Premium on my Treo 680. Despite having used Agendus for so long, there’s always something new to learn. I discovered a feature from the article - if you place a “-” prior to a Note item in an Agenda meeting, it becomes a handy Checkbox! When scheduling appointments for patients, the Free time finder is also another useful feature of Agendus. Things getting too busy and hectic for you? Get organized with Agendus, now available for PalmOS, Windows (Outlook and Palm Desktop Editions) and Pocket PCs! (Source: The Palmdoc Chronicles) The Palmdoc Chronicles blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=499342 Sun, 25 Mar 2007 04:05:26 +0100 499342 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=469310&cid=t_100580_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F02%2Fpharmaceutical-stealth-marketing-on-pbs.html Say it ain't so, stealth marketing of a drug on a US Public Broadcasting System (PBS) show, but Broadcasting & Cable (that's a new source for us) reported that:Glaxo[SmithKline] is underwriting the April broadcast of Fat: What No One is Telling You, the second in the 'Take One Step' series of health-related shows and outreach PBS is undertaking in concert with the YMCA. The series kicked off this week with a show on heart disease, but Glaxo was not a funder, according to a spokeswoman for producer WGBH Boston. But Glaxo is underwriting the 'Fat' show, which debuts April 11.Jeff Chester, executive director of the Center for Digital Democracy, and a frequent critic of what he sees as the increasingly commercialization of noncommercial broadcasting, has written to PBS ombudsman Michael Getler... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=469310 Mon, 19 Feb 2007 22:03:00 +0100 469310