Medicines Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency
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The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is reminding the public this New Year not to buy weight-loss medicines without a healthcare professionals prescription from beauty salons or via social media. Not only does this expose people wanting to lose weight to serious health risks it is also against the law to sell medicines in this way.
Andy Morling, MHRA Deputy Director of Criminal Enforcement, said:
At this time of year, with many of us thinking about shedding a little excess weight, we see people offering weight loss medicines for sale as a quick fix, without a healthcare professionals prescription, from beauty salons, websites and on social media. These are not cosmetic treatments; they are powerful medicines that can only be legally and safely dispensed against a prescription issued by a healthcare professional.
The MHRAs Criminal Enforcement Unit works closely with social media platforms and technology companies to identify and prevent the illegal sale of weight-loss medicines online without a prescription. This can lead to the removal of social media posts illegally selling medicines and, where necessary, the suspension of accounts and the taking down of websites. The MHRA can also use the full range of its investigative powers to bring offenders to justice in the courts.
If you are thinking of buying a weight-loss medicine, speak with your GP or a healthcare professional first
The only way to guarantee you receive a genuine weight-loss medicine is to obtain it from a legitimate pharmacy, including those trading online, against a prescription issued by a healthcare professional. If youre offered a weight-loss medicine in any other circumstances, whether online or offline, they are putting your health at serious risk and breaking the law.
The MHRA continually monitors the safety of all licensed weight-loss medicines, which are known clinically as GLP-1 Receptor Agonists (RAs) and current evidence shows the benefits outweigh the risks when they are used for their licensed indications.
Dr Alison Cave, MHRA Chief Safety Officer said:
The decision to start, continue or stop treatments should be made jointly by patients and their prescribing healthcare professional such as a GP or pharmacist based on full consideration and discussion of the benefits and risks.
No medicine is completely without risk. All medicines can cause side effects, and these are outlined in the product information for each medicine, so its important to read the patient information leaflet that includes advice about the known side-effects.
We encourage patients and healthcare professionals to report suspected side effects from GLP-1 RAs, such as semaglutide or tirzepatide, through our Yellow Card scheme.
Be aware of fake pharmacy websites and social media posts offering weight-loss medicines illegally without a prescription
Andy Morling, MHRA Deputy Director of Criminal Enforcement, said:
Criminals go to great lengths to make their website storefronts look authentic and convincing, so before you buy any medicine online you should exercise caution. For online pharmacies based in Great Britain you can check on the General Pharmaceutical Councils (GPhC) website that it is properly registered.
Fake pharmacy websites and social media sellers illegally supply medicines that are not approved for use in the UK. These may contain toxins and other ingredients that could cause real harm, and you may even end up in hospital. We work with our partners, including the police and Border Force, to tackle those selling medicines illegally and causing harm. As the tactics of these organised criminal gangs evolve, so do our methods to identify, disrupt and dismantle them.
Our role at the MHRA is to ensure the medicines you take are acceptably safe and effective. We are here to protect your health. Stay safe th