Up to one million people in the UK may be buying “black market” weight-loss jabs, a leading online pharmacy has warned, after Scotland’s chief pharmaceutical officer issued guidance on suspected illegal sales.
Glasgow-based Simple Online Pharmacy, one of the UK’s largest regulated providers of prescription weight-loss medication, said it is “increasingly concerned” that as many as one in three people using GLP-1 drugs could now be doing so outside licensed channels.
The warning follows a raid in England last week, where counterfeit weight-loss medications worth an estimated £250,000 were seized by the UK’s medicines regulator, the MHRA.
Officials dismantled what they described as a “major illicit manufacturing facility” producing fake GLP-1 medicines, the class of injectable drugs used to treat obesity and type 2 diabetes.
Edward Pickles, Simple Online Pharmacy's Chief Operating Officer, said: “We’re increasingly concerned that potentially as many as one third of people using GLP‑1 medicines in the UK are doing so outside regulated routes exposing themselves to avoidable harm.
"Counterfeit products, unregulated suppliers, or stretching doses to prolong limited supply all increase the likelihood of serious adverse events. These behaviours have risen markedly over the past three months, and we urge anyone seeking weight loss treatment to use licensed providers and verified products, and to follow clinical dosing guidance.”
The pharmacy said sales of legitimate, privately prescribed GLP-1 medications have dropped by around a third in recent months, even as public interest remains strong.
The company believes this may indicate that many are turning to cheaper or unlicensed alternatives online or through social media.
Abdal Alvi, Simple Online Pharmacy’s Chief Clinical Officer, who began his career in community pharmacies across Scotland, said people should take extra care when buying medication online.
Mr Alvi said: “Cheap isn’t cheap when it comes to your health and black market providers pose very real dangers to individuals’ health. Our advice on choosing regulated providers makes it simple for patients to make safe, educated choices.”
Asked about the concerns around black market sales, the Scottish Government told The Herald the Chief Pharmaceutical Officer has written to healthcare professionals "with guidance on how to report the known or suspected illicit supply of obesity medicines".
A spokesperson added: "Anyone seeking to use weight loss medication should only do so, under medical supervision, and where medicines are prescribed by a registered healthcare professional.
"The regulation of medicines is reserved to the UK Government and the supply of medicines without a prescription is illegal."
Health professionals in Scotland who suspect the illegal sale of weight-loss drugs are being urged to contact their local health board’s Fraud Liaison Officer, report anonymously to Police Scotland via Crimestoppers, or raise concerns through NHS Counter Fraud Services.
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