"There is no magic pill for weight loss and orlistat is not a magic pill. Orlistat is a tool that will help people control their calorie intake and modify their diet," says GlaxoSmithKline's senior vice president of research and development, John Dent.
The pill's effect ends once its use is stopped, says Dr. Julie Golden, a medical officer in the FDA's division of metabolism and endocrinology products, in an Associated Press (AP) report.
The proposed over-the-counter version, called Alli (pronounced "ally"), would contain half the dose of the prescription capsule and would be intended for use by overweight adults, reports AP.
