Drugstore shelves are brimming with shakes, herbs and other products to help with weight loss, but the vast majority of them have not been shown to work. A proven medication that helps modestly with weight loss might join their ranks on the shelves 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.

Find out if the Xenical diet pill will be sold over the counter at http://www.newsday.com/news/health/ny-hsdrug4502820nov08,0,4993335.story?coll=ny-health-headlines.