Weight loss jabs are being sold illegally online via TikTok and social media, a Manchester Evening News investigation can reveal.
We found multiple active accounts advertising what purports to be semaglutide, which is a prescription-only medication in the UK otherwise sold under the brand name Ozempic as a type two diabetes medication and Wegovy as a weight loss jab.
It took just ten minutes to find someone willing to sell to us, without asking any questions about age, medical history, or giving any medical guidance as to how to take the drug.
It comes as the UK’s medicines regulator warned against buying weight loss medicines without a prescription.
Data from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA)’s Yellow Card scheme shows since 2019, 23 deaths and 1,179 ‘serious’ adverse reactions have been linked to semaglutide use in the UK.
However, the regulator stressed a reported death or adverse reaction does not necessarily mean it has been caused by the medicine, only that the person reporting it had a suspicion it may have been, adding it ‘is not possible’ to determine whether the drug was responsible for a death reported.
The data also does not discern between cases where a drug was prescribed and cases where it may have been used illicitly.
(Image: Sean Hansford | Manchester Evening News)
When contacted TikTok told us their Community Guidelines are clear that they do not allow the illicit trade of regulated drugs on TikTok, including semaglutide.
They added they had reviewed the account in question and permanently removed it for violating these guidelines.
Meta, who own Instagram and Facebook, said they also do not allow the sale of pharmaceutical drugs on their platform.
‘Top quality semaglutide’
It took just minutes on the popular video sharing platform TikTok to find a seller willing to sell off-prescription semaglutide to us.
We messaged the account asking how to buy the jab and they replied asking us which course we wanted.
The account advertised four different ‘courses’ of the drug, ranging from 10mg each week over 10 weeks to 5mg each week over four weeks. The dosage recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) for semaglutide is initially 0.25 mg once weekly for 4 weeks, then increased to 0.5mg once weekly for at least 4 weeks, then increased if necessary to 1 mg once weekly.
Concerningly, it also included posts specifically advertising the drug to people with poly-cystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) – a condition where weight gain and difficulty managing weight is common. The post says the drug ‘works wonders’ for those with the condition, promising ‘mind-blowing’ results.
Semaglutide can be given to those with PCOS, but like in other scenarios, must be prescribed and sanctioned by a medical professional.
Jabs were advertised as ‘99.84 per cent pure semaglutide’ mixed with a compound called phenol – a disinfectant used in a number of over the counter products. It can be toxic in concentrated doses.
In a video posted to the account, the seller also said the syringes were made up of semaglutide mixed with water. In another post, the jabs were advertised as ‘100 per cent pure semaglutide with no added ingredients’.
The seller did warn of potential side effects of nausea and headaches in some posts, advising they could be treated with painkillers and anti-sickness medication. Buyers were told they could lose 12-14lbs every four weeks on average.
We requested the four week 5mg course, and were asked to send £40 by bank transfer. Just days later, we received the jabs.
What we received
As ordered, we received four pre-filled syringes, each packaged with a shiny sticker reading ‘Thank you for supporting my small business’.
(Image: Sean Hansford | Manchester Evening News)
In the pack we were also given four alcohol wipes, a tape measure, and a hair tie. The package contained no instructions on how to take the medication, and no warnings of any potential side effects.
‘Potentially life-threatening’
Dr Bhavini Shah, GP at LloydsPharmacy Online Doctor, told the M.E.N that taking weight loss jabs from an unregulated supplier ‘could be life threatening’.
“Taking these medications puts individuals at risk of ‘everything from allergic reactions to uncontrolled blood sugar levels, which could cause blurred vision, palpitations, seizures, or loss of consciousness,” she said, adding the illicit jabs could contain active ingredients outside what the customer expected, which could be dangerous.
“The potential contamination also poses a risk of infection that can range from mild to severe, and even be life-threatening.”
The side effects of taking semaglutide even on prescription include constipation, diarrhoea, fatigue, gastrointestinal discomfort, gastrointestinal disorders, nausea, and vomiting.
Dr Shah said safe prescribers put ‘strict’ prescribing criteria in place to ensure patient safety and offer ongoing professional support to help patients through their weight loss journey.
(Image: Sean Hansford | Manchester Evening News)
“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,” the MHRA website reads.
“If you’re 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.”
Who is eligible for weight loss jabs?
Semaglutide, sold by Danish pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk under the brand name Wegovy, is available on the NHS for those with a body mass index (BMI) of more than 35 and at least one weight-related health complication.
The drug works by binding to, and activating, the GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) receptor, a protein that controls blood sugar, appetite, and other physiological functions. This helps reduce appetite and slow the movement of food through the stomach.
(Image: Getty Images)
Clinical trials indicate that when used alongside diet, physical activity, and behavioural support, Wegovy users can achieve up to a 15 per cent reduction in body weight after one year.
In the year 2022/23, 26.2 per cent of England’s population were clinically obese (BMI of 30+), according to government data.
However, only a small portion of those eligible are actually able to access the drug, according to the BBC.
It has led to fears that those unable to access it through the NHS will try to source it from illegal and dangerous suppliers like those operating on social media.
Dr Kath McCullough, NHS England’s National Specialty Advisor for Obesity, said obesity is ‘one of the greatest public health issues facing the NHS’ and weight loss drugs are ‘an important tool in helping people lose weight while also reducing the risk of other serious long-term conditions’.
“However, on their own, weight loss drugs are not a magic bullet,” she added. “They need to be prescribed by a healthcare professional alongside programmes that help people lose weight and live healthier lives by making changes to their diet and physical activity – and it’s also crucial that they are prioritised for those who need them most.
“The guidance published by NICE in December enables the NHS to implement a phased roll out of tirzepatide to patients with the highest clinical need in a safe and effective way, while also protecting access to the NHS services that all patients rely on.”
What does the law say about weight loss injections?
In the UK, you need a prescription for semaglutide and other weight loss jabs, and it is illegal to distribute them without one.
Andy Morling, MHRA Deputy Director of Criminal Enforcement, told pharmaceutical publication Community and pharmacy news, analysis, and CPD, the organisation are seeing ‘home brew’ counterfeit weight loss jabs being sold on social media.
“We’re seeing vials containing powder being sold on social media and in beauty salons [and] we’re seeing prefilled syringes being sold as well,” he said.
“Who knows the lack of sterility that’s been used in producing these home brew kits…and what’s in them.”
However, he added it’s most likely “not organised criminals” who are selling these illicit injections and powders.
“A lot of the people that are selling these things on social media…don’t realise what they’re doing is criminal”, he told C+D. “They probably don’t even realise it’s a medicine they’re selling – they think it’s just some sort of beauty treatment…or cosmetics.
“It’s more so people who are trying to make a few quid off people’s misfortune and vulnerability.”
Speaking to the M.E.N he said the MHRA works ‘tirelessly’ with partners to ‘identify and intervene’ against those selling medicines illegally and causing harm.
“We target all levels of offending, and as criminal tactics evolve, so do our methods to identify and disrupt them,” he continued.
“Patient safety is our top priority, and we will continue working with our law enforcement partners to prevent this offending where we can, to disrupt it where we can’t, and to bring offenders to justice where we should.”
A Novo Nordisk spokesperson said: “Semaglutide is a prescription medicine that is only available by prescription from a registered healthcare professional. Obtaining prescription-only medicines without a prescription through non-legitimate routes poses a direct danger to health.
“The contents of medicines acquired through non-legitimate routes can be entirely different from the genuine medicine and should not be used.
“Patient safety is a top priority for Novo Nordisk. We are the only company in the UK with MHRA-approved products containing semaglutide, and all prescriptions of our products must be in line with the approved Summary of Product Characteristics (SmPC). All pharmacies in Great Britain must be registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) and this includes online pharmacies.”
What are social media platforms doing about this?
TikTok told us the sale of drugs on the platform violates their Community Guidelines. They added they have tens of thousands of safety professionals dedicated to keeping TikTok safe and continue to invest in strengthening their enforcement strategies.
Meta, who own Instagram and Facebook, told the M.E.N they don’t allow the sale of pharmaceutical drugs on Instagram or Facebook, and their Regulated Goods policy includes a section focused on weight loss products and certain cosmetic procedures.
They added they remove content about weight loss that contains a miracle claim and attempts to buy, sell, trade, donate or gift weight loss products.