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.

You simply walk into the pharmacy or supermarket and pay at the register.

Then consider that the same weight-loss pill, which is currently available only with a prescription, can cause diarrhea, block absorption of some necessary vitamins and won't help desperate dieters lose more than 5 percent of their unwanted fat.

These are the competing views that a Food and Drug Administration panel will weigh tomorrow as it considers whether to recommend making available an over-the-counter version of the Xenical diet drug. If approved, GlaxoSmithKline will call it Alli.

Find out more about generic Xenical diet pill at http://www.nj.com/business/ledger/index.ssf?/base/business-0/1137908713152510.xml&coll=1.