A magic pill that makes you slim with no side effects would be the 21st centuryís 'goose that laid the golden egg'. With 13 million people forecast to be obese by 2010, the market for a miracle cure is huge. Consumer groups are concerned, however, that ìslimming pillsî are at best expensive and useless, as they will not have any effect unless people also reduce their intake of food. At worst they can cause side effects and be addictive. People who are worried about their weight often fail to be cautious about what looks like a miracle cure. So why are manufacturers allowed to sell these pills and make grand claims for their effectiveness? Because most slimming pills are not licensed as medicines and so are not subject to strict controls: they are controlled by food regulations. The government should act now to protect people from their own ignorance, and make slimming pills subject to the same strict controls as medicines.