Oil-cutting weight loss pills are popular, be careful with the display, it's easy to confuse

In order to lose weight, many people are accustomed to going to chain drugstores to buy various edible products that help lose weight. Among them, there are many "Oil-cutting Capsules" that have been frequently inquired about recently and are emphasized as an auxiliary weight loss product. However, some drugstores display these two types of "Oil-cut Capsules", which are both "indicative medications", next to ordinary foods, which can easily mislead people into taking medicine as food. If there is no pharmacist on site to guide, it may increase the risk of gastrointestinal, liver and other diseases.

Youqie capsules help lose weight, beware of side effects

The "Oil-cutting Capsules" products currently on the shelves of chain drugstores are "Si Dan Kou-Miao Kexiu Oil-cutting Capsules" and "Zhongmei-Youmeixian Oil-cutting Capsules". The main ingredient is Orlistat 60mg, which can act on the digestive system to inhibit the absorption rate of fat in the diet.

The two types of oil-cutting capsules are only for "assisting weight loss" purposes, and the users must be over 18 years old, with a BMI greater than 25, and must be used in conjunction with a low-calorie, low-fat diet. In terms of drug classification, it is classified as an "indicative drug". Although it does not require a prescription from a doctor, when people go to pharmacies or drugstores to buy it on their own, they should be instructed and guided by a doctor or pharmacist on the correct usage to avoid side effects including flatulence, acute bowel movements, diarrhea, liver damage, etc.

Instructions for taking medicines at will, public health lacks control

The side effects of "indicative medications" are greater than those of food, but some businesses display them next to health foods or general foods. If a pharmacist happens not to be present, people may just pick up the medication and pay for it without knowing it or having a low sense of awareness, which affects the health rights of the public.

What Cosmed Pharmacy does is to put a sign saying "Please consult a pharmacist for medication instructions" near the price sign indicating medication use. If the pharmacist happens to be away from the store, the store will be informed verbally at checkout that the pharmacist is not there and the customer should go to a nearby pharmacy if they wish to purchase the medication, so that consumers can exercise their rights.

Regarding drugstores selling "indicated medications" but failing to implement drug quality control, Zhang Zhigang, chairman of the Consumer Culture and Education Foundation, said that based on public health considerations, he called on health-related units to urge businesses to implement health education campaigns on indicated medications so that the public can understand the differences between indicated medications and foods, as well as precautions for use.

At the same time, he also suggested that businesses should clearly distinguish between "medicine" and "food" in merchandise display, and even set up different checkout areas, and that pharmacists should provide medication guidance and reminders before checkout. If there are no dedicated display cabinets and checkout areas for medicines, checkout clerks should also be vigilant. If they find that something people buy is "medicine", they should promptly notify the pharmacist to investigate and conduct health education to prevent people from taking the medicine by mistake and causing side effects.

Does “cutting oil” mean losing weight? Foods may not claim therapeutic effects

As for the word "Yuki", which comes from Japanese and originally means "to put something on a plate to absorb the grease and drain the grease from fried food", can it be used as a synonym for "weight loss"? Zhang Zhigang said that although there have been cases in the past where celebrities endorsed "Youqie Tea" in violation of the food advertisement prohibition of exaggerating medical efficacy, the above two Youqie capsule products have been approved by the Department of Health. If the words used in the advertisements comply with the regulations, there is nothing obviously wrong with the regulations. However, weight loss cannot be achieved with a single food or medicine. If a product claims to "assist in weight loss" or has similar effects to weight loss, health authorities should carefully evaluate whether it is necessary.