Television ads featuring the weight-loss drug Xenical, have been ordered off the air after the campaign was found to be pushing inappropriate or excessive use of the drug.However, the screening during Australian Idol, which has 13- to 17-year-olds as a large part of its audience - was not found to be in breach of industry guidelines, even though they prohibit drug advertising to people under 18.
The Therapeutic Goods Advertising Code Council complaints committee found the pharmaceutical company Roche had breached the code, which prohibited "inappropriate or excessive use" of drugs. The committee judged the ad failed to say that the drug was designed only for those with a body mass index of 30 or more, or for overweight people with a BMI over 26 and other risk factors such as high cholesterol.
The company was ordered to take the ad off the air and modify it "to withdraw the unqualified representation that Xenical is suitable for anyone who wants to lose weight".
The complaint was lodged by Australian consumer watchdog Choice, claiming the ads targeted teenaged girls worried about body image.
