How much does Orlistat cost?

Orlistat (Orlistat) is a medicine containing the active substance orlistat. It is available in the form of turquoise capsules (120 mg). Orlistat is a weight loss drug that does not affect appetite. Orlistat blocks gastrointestinal lipases (enzymes that digest fat). When these enzymes are blocked, they are unable to digest some fats in the diet, which allows about 30% of dietary fats to pass through the intestines undigested. The body cannot use this dietary fat for energy or convert it into adipose tissue.

Orlistat is used together with diet therapy to treat obese (very overweight) patients with a body mass index (body mass index) greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2, or overweight patients (body mass index greater than or equal to 28 kg/m2) who are at risk for disease due to their weight. This medicine helps with weight loss and may be taken as one capsule with water one hour before, during, or after each main meal. Orlistat should not be taken if a meal is missed or contains no fat. The patient's diet should be 30% of calories from fat and rich in fruits and vegetables. Food in the diet should be spread over three meals, and orlistat treatment should be discontinued after 12 weeks if the patient fails to lose at least 5% of their body weight since starting treatment.

The original drug of Orlistat has been marketed in China, but it has not yet entered the scope of medical insurance. There are also domestically produced drugs developed by other pharmaceutical companies on the market. The price of each box may be around tens of RMB, which is cheap. The price of the Indian version of Orlistat listed overseas is 120mg*84 capsules per box, which may be around a few hundred yuan (the price may fluctuate due to exchange rates). The ingredients of the two drugs are basically the same, but the manufacturers are different, and patients can choose by themselves.