WASHINGTON, Jan 23: A prescription diet drug that blocks the absorption of fat is ‘no magic pill’, but will nevertheless help control calorie intake, the drug manufacturer said on Monday as the Food and Drug Administration considered whether to approve the pill for over-the-counter sales.

In 1999, the regulatory agency approved orlistat, marketed as Xenical, for sale as a prescription drug. The drug blocks the absorption of fat and British-owned GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare is seeking to sell an over-the-counter version of the pill.

“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,” said John Dent, the pharmaceutical company’s senior vice president of research.

That proposed version, called Alli (pronounced ‘ally’), would contain half the dose of the prescription capsule..

An earlier, internal FDA review found the drug is a ‘safe and effective weight loss agent’, but held off on concluding whether it should be sold without a prescription. The review found that over-the-counter use of the drug could lead to vitamin deficiencies and encourage abuse.—AP