Diet drug may go over the counter

From Newsday (NY):
Drugstore shelves are brimming with shakes, herbs and other products to facilitate weight loss — but the vast majority of them have not been shown to work. It's possible that a proven medication that helps modestly with weight loss may join their ranks next year.

The pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline has asked the Food and Drug Administration for permission to sell a low-dose version of its diet drug Xenical over the counter. If approved, Xenical would be the first weight loss medication to make the switch from prescription to nonprescription status. ...more