NHS delays may drive patients to buy unsafe weight-loss drugs, says top GP
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People warned against buying illegal weight-loss medicines through beauty salons or fake pharmacy websites. Long waits for NHS services could lead people to take matters into their own hands by buying potentially unsafe weight-loss jabs online, Britain’s top GP has said.
Prof Kamila Hawthorne, the chair of the Royal College of GPs, warned that buying drugs online from unregulated retailers could put people at risk and they may also miss out on wraparound support offered alongside the medication. She also expressed concerns about the safety of cheaper alternatives to the pre-filled injection pens, which involve preparing part of the medicine at home.
Her warning came as the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) cautioned against buying illegal weight-loss medicines without a prescription through beauty salons, fake pharmacy websites or on social media, saying these products could contain “toxins and other ingredients that could cause real harm”.
Andy Morling, the MHRA’s 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 professional’s prescription.”.
Urging people to exercise caution, he said “criminals go to great lengths to make their website storefronts look authentic and convincing”. “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,” he added.
