Pressroom

GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare Continues to Alert Consumers to Online Sale of Counterfeit Product Packaged as alli

GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare first alerted consumers on January 18 that a small quantity of fake weight loss product, falsely packaged and labeled as alli®, has been sold on online auction Web sites including eBay. The FDA has since confirmed all product they have tested contains sibutramine, the active ingredient in Meridia, a prescription weight-loss drug. It’s important to note that the FDA recently issued a warning regarding the risks of Meridia in people with certain cardiovascular conditions.

The falsely packaged and labeled products are the 60 mg, 120-count refill packs only. While these counterfeit products may look similar to alli, they are illegal and unsafe and have no connection with GSK, alli, or the FDA.

Consumers who suspect they have purchased this counterfeit product are urged to contact the FDA at http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/email/oc/oci/contact.cfm.

GSK is working closely with both the FDA and eBay to remove the counterfeit product from auction sites; to alert potential sellers and purchasers of alli on the auction sites; and to help educate consumers about the differences between the counterfeit and legitimate products.

The FDA continues to reassure consumers that there is “no evidence at this time that counterfeit alli product has been sold through other channels, such as retail stores.” We urge consumers to buy alli only from reputable retailers or from their branded online websites. This way, consumers can feel confident that the product is genuine and does not contain sibutramine.

HOW TO IDENTIFY THE FAKE PRODUCT:

• alli has LOT code information on the top of the box; the counterfeit product does not.
• alli has an expiration date that includes only the month and year (example: 05/12); the counterfeit product’s expiration date includes month, day and year (example: 06162010).
• alli has a seal that reads “SEALED FOR YOUR PROTECTION” in white ink; the counterfeit product has no such seal.
• alli capsules are slightly smaller than the counterfeit product.
• alli capsules contain pellets; the counterfeit capsules contain a powdery content.

VISUALS WITH SIDE BY SIDE COMPARISONS:

WHAT CONSUMERS SHOULD DO:

• Buy alli only from reputable retailers or from their branded online Web sites. When purchased from these sources, consumers can feel confident that the product is genuine and does not contain sibutramine.
• Consumers who suspect they have purchased counterfeit alli are urged to contact the FDA at http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/email/oc/oci/contact.cfm.
• People should contact their healthcare professionals if they have taken the counterfeit product and are experiencing more than mild side effects, especially if they have a history of cardiovascular disease.
• Consumers can visit www.myalli.com for more information.