Near the end of the last May, University of Kansas student Nicole wanted to cut 30 pounds from her 5-foot-9, 173-pound frame. Her lifestyle at that time was not suitable to losing the weight. Diet pills presented a reasonable alternative.

The news that a weight-loss pill will soon be sold over the counter, allowing Americans to pig out without worrying about their waistlines, is a fantasy that ranks right up there with a knock on the door from Publisher's Clearinghouse.

Federal health advisers voted Monday to recommend over-the-counter sales of a weight-loss pill now sold only with a prescription.

Imagine an over-the-counter pill that helps you lose up to 5 percent of your weight. No prescription is needed. No embarrassing conversation takes place with a doctor. No frustration is encountered getting reimbursed by a health insurer.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Jan. 21 said that it found the use of GlaxoSmithKline PLC's Xenical diet pill (also known as orlistat) risky without proper care from a doctor. Glaxo is in the process of having their pill sold over-the-counter (OTC), rather than through prescriptions, and renaming it Alli.