It's no surprise that there are videos on YouTube (see here) that make fun of alli's potential treatment effects (TEs as they're being called). We loved toilet jokes in kindergarten. And apparently a lot of folks still like them now.

Mainstream media is also fixated on alli's possible side effects. See Google news search results on "glaxosmithkline alli." I find it interesting that this is the "news hook" dominating coverage of alli. For in fact...

1. The folks who are actually using alli seem to have a positive attitude about TEs; i.e. they know they can control them.

2. Treatment effects are avoidable if you watch your diet and limit your fat to 15 grams per meal.

Anecdotal reports from the alliFirst Team members say that run-to-the-toilet episodes are manageable and rather rare. The 400 alliFirst members were recruited in April to try alli so they've been using the product for several months now. Their experience should be a useful guide for others.

(Full disclosure: I'm not currently using alli as I'm not overweight.)

Still don't believe me on TEs? Watch Stand-Up Doctor (who is not affiliated in any way with GlaxoSmithKline). He describes himself as a family physician and weight loss doctor by day and a stand-up comedian at night. He has previously prescribed Xenical, the prescription version of alli (it's twice the dose or 120 mg of Orlistat). He says on the video:

"Even at the prescription dosage although people seemed to get a little gassy and sometimes bloated and even occasionally had diarrhea, I never had a (patient) tell me they had an accident or that they couldn't make it to the bathroom... "