Alli maker GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare is voluntarily recalling all Alli weight loss products from U.S. and Puerto Rican retailers because some product packages were allegedly tampered with and may contain a product that is not the authentic, FDA-approved weight loss product Alli.
According to a March 2014 report in USA TODAY, GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare has received inquiries from 12 consumers in seven states about packages of Alli purchased in retail stores that contained tablets and capsules that were not the weight-loss product. The affected states included Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, New York, North Carolina, and Texas. The tablets and capsules were various shapes and colors, and some bottles were missing labels and had tamper-evident seals that were not genuine.
Alli has had similar problems before. Back in 2010, the FDA warned that a counterfeit version of Alli potentially harmful to consumers was being sold online, although no reports of serious illness related to the recent tampering and recall have been received. GlaxoSmithKline is unsure about how or where the bottles had been tampered with and is conducting an investigation, and also working with the FDA on the recall.
Alli is an over-the-counter fat-blocking pill meant to be taken in conjunction with exercise and a healthy diet. The active ingredient in Alli is orlistat, which was linked to an increased risk of rectal bleeding as well as kidney, liver, and thyroid problems by a 2009 Consumer Reports article. Following the article, the FDA changed the label on products containing orlistat, including Alli, to include new information about cases of severe liver injury. Alli’s new label contained a warning about “rare reports of severe liver injury.”
Consumers should confirm that the Alli they have matches this description: Turquoise blue capsule with a dark blue bank imprinted with the text “60 Orlistat.” Alli is packaged in a labeled bottle that has an inner foil seal imprinted with the words, “Sealed for Your Protection.” Pictures of the product are available on www.myalli.com.
The diet supplement injury lawyers at Childers, Schlueter & Smith, LLC continue to investigate and review new potential diet supplement cases all over the United States. If you have questions about a potential diet supplement injury, give us a call. All initial case reviews are free of charge and are kept completely confidential.
