A U.S. Food and Drug Administration advisory panel has endorsed a proposal to allow a prescription diet pill to be sold over the counter.

Drug manufacturer Glaxo Smith Kline wants to sell a version of its diet drug Xenical in pharmacies without a prescription. The new pill, called Alli, would be the first approved non-prescription diet pill that blocks fat absorption.

For pastor Chad Huebner, it would mean a discrete way of dealing with his weight problem. "I don't want to have to go to the doctor to talk about my weight. We often feel that weight is something we should be able to manage ourselves."

Read more about over the counter Xenical diet pill at http://www.voanews.com/english/2006-02-07-voa17.cfm.