Diet pill alli, which is scheduled to go on sale in the United States in mid-summer, may also be available as an over-the-counter diet drug in Europe by the end of next year, according to GlaxoSmithKline.

The company said on April 1st that it plans to seek European approval before the end of this year to sell alli, a low-dose version of prescription diet drug Xenical (orlistat), and hopes to launch the drug in Britain and other European countries by late 2008.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration gave the go-ahead to alli in February, making it the first weight-loss pill ever approved for over-the-counter sale in the United States.

In Europe as in the United States, hundreds of unregulated products are sold as diet aids in pharmacies and supermarkets, and Glaxo is counting on the blessing by regulators to set alli apart and lead to its use by millions of dieters.

"Consumers spend billions each year on fad diets, unproven miracle pills and potentially unsafe weight loss supplements that may not work," a Glaxo spokesperson said.

"alli is the clinically-proven alternative to these hyped quick-fix products that mislead overweight adults away from weight-loss strategies that are backed by medical science."

"My concern is that it should not be seen as a panacea for people who want to get into a smaller-sized bikini," said Dr. Colin Waine, chair of Britain's National Obesity Forum. "It may also be unpleasant - if you eat a high fat diet you will experience the effects. But if used sensibly with the right sort of dietary back-up then this could help some people."