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Case study
Responsible marketing for our weight-loss treatment
Nearly one-third of US adults are clinically obese and another third are seriously overweight. This is causing a dramatic increase in life-threatening medical conditions, such as heart disease and diabetes.
In 2007, GSK launched alli (orlistat 60 mg), the first over-the-counter weight loss treatment to be approved by the US Food and Drug Administration. It helps overweight adults lose weight by preventing about 25 per cent of dietary fat from being absorbed in the gut. Because the treatment can be bought without a prescription, it is vital that alli is marketed responsibly so it is used in the right way and only by those who need it.
Before launching the treatment we distributed over 65,000 education packs to physicians, dieticians and pharmacists to ensure alli is sold appropriately and patients receive the right information about the treatment. Our marketing emphasises that alli is not a magic weight loss pill and requires lifestyle changes to produce the right results.
alli comes with educational materials and tools to help users plan their meals and develop an exercise programme. A special website, www.myalli.com, provides further support.
