'Orlistat (Xenical) can be used as an adjuvant therapy along with other oral diabetic medicines in managing glycaemic control (lowering blood glucose level), lipid profiles and blood pressure in obese or overweight'type 2 Diabetic patients.' -was stated by the speakers in a 'Roche Symposium' held in December 9,2004 jointly organised by the 'Diabetic association of Bangladesh and Bangladesh Endocrine Society' attended by over five hundred (500) renowned doctors around the country, at the Bangladesh Institute of Health Sciences (BIHS) Ground, Darussalam, Mirpur, Dhaka.

The safety of a drug is determined by several authentic clinical trials conducted in advanced countries. The FDA (American Fodd & Drug Administration) and the European Commission have already approved the extension to the prescribing label for Xenical (trade name of Orlistat manufactured by Roch pharmaceutical company) in diabetic patients. Doctors working around the world depend on those clinical data although the physical condition, dietary habit, genetic-predisposition, life-style and environmental conditions are different in different countries.

In Bangladesh, a first ever clinical trial of Orlistat (Xenical) a non-systemic weight reducing

agent was conducted with Bangladeshi, overweight diabetic patients, at the BIRDEM hospital under direct supervision of the Department of Endocrinology.

The objective of the trial was to find out whether Orlistat (Xenical) can reduce weight and need of oral hypoglycemic agents (used to treat diabetic patients) and improve glycaemic status, lipid disorders and blood pressure in Bangladeshi obese Type 2 Diabetic subjects or not as claimed by several large-scale International clinical trials like XENDOS. The local (Bangladeshi) trial shows positive results in all parameters evaluated.

Dr. Faruque Pathan, the chief investigator of the local trial, stated that the positive role of Orlistat (Xenical) in the management of type 2 diabetes for IGT patients is well established by several international clinical trials like XENDOS and the result of the local (Bangladeshi) trial also revealed the same for the Bangladeshi people.

Professor A R Khan, the chairperson mentioned that the local trial proves that as an adjuvant therapy Orlistat (Xenical) has beneficial role in the management of glycaemic control, lipid profiles and blood pressure in obese Type 2 Diabetic patients. He also added that the international and local studies represent an important step forward in the evolution of diabetes prevention and management in overweight patients.