GlaxoSmithKline's new over the counter diet drug Alli is a hit, and providing an unexpected boost to the laundering services industry. Alli is a morbidly obese consumer favorite because it is the first FDA approved over the counter diet drug that doesn't curb your appetite or make you perma-full. The drug works by preventing your body from breaking down and absorbing fat. The only catch is that the unabsorbed fat has to leave your body, from the Wall Street Journal:

The downside of Alli is the fat it blocks can come out of your body in embarrassing ways. The Glaxo Web site, myalli.com, warns the drug can cause gas with oily discharge as well as frequent or loose stools. The site suggests it's probably a "smart idea" to wear dark pants and bring a change of clothes to work if you use Alli.

The top thread on the Alli personal experience message board is “Has anyone had any accidents?” Despite this, most of the women on the Alli website are wearing all white outfits, the de rigueur choice of people who need drugs, courtesy of utopian big pharma marketing (until Sicko comes out).

Alli runs into the same problems as other diet drugs in that it mostly doesn't work. If it does work in the first place, tests have shown users to gain back the weight when they stop taking the drug. Alli won't work with users who are healthy to begin with and have low fat diets. Alli also won't work unless you balance intake with exercise and a lower fat diet. Lose weight with a workout regimen, low fat diet and afterthought of Alli - it's just that easy!

Weighing the Pros and Cons Of New Fat-Blocking Drug Alli [Wall Street Journal]