The UK's medicines watchdog has issued a fresh warning against buying weight-loss jabs from social media sellers or other illegitimate channels, as the black market for these medications booms.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) said products bought from illegal online sellers could be counterfeit, contaminated, or contain the wrong doses, posing a real risk to health. It stressed the importance of only buying from registered UK pharmacies or legitimate retailers.
Weight-loss jabs such as Wegovy and Mounjaro have become hugely popular, with trials suggesting Mounjaro can help people lose an average of 20% of their body weight after 72 weeks. However, high demand, limited NHS access, and the need for a prescription have fuelled a black market.
In October, the MHRA seized more than £250,000 worth of counterfeit weight-loss jab products from a factory in Northampton, including injection pens for retatrutide, an experimental drug not licensed in the UK. A subsequent investigation found the company linked to the products continued to advertise replicas on Telegram channels.
Banks have also warned of scams, with victims losing £120 on average. The MHRA has previously warned about beauty salons, fake pharmacy websites, and social media posts selling prescription medications without a prescription. Key warning signs include unusually low prices, “miracle results”, or “quick fixes”.
Health minister Dr Zubir Ahmed said: “Please do not buy weight loss medications from unregulated sources. These products are made with no regard for safety or quality and pose a major risk to unwitting customers. Safe, appropriate, licensed obesity drugs can greatly benefit those with a clinical need but should be obtained from a registered pharmacy against a valid prescription.”
