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MHRA Issues New Year Warning Against Buying Weight-Loss Jabs From Unregulated Sellers

The regulator says illegal online weight-loss products can be counterfeit, contaminated or wrongly dosed, creating risks of serious side effects.

Overview

  • GLP-1 weight-loss medicines, including Wegovy and Mounjaro, are prescription-only and should be supplied only after a proper clinical assessment.
  • Consumers are advised to buy only from registered UK pharmacies, verify registration via the GPhC or PSNI, and report suspicious sites or products through the Yellow Card scheme.
  • Warning signs of illegal sellers include social media posts promising “quick fixes,” “miracle results,” or unusually low prices.
  • Health Minister Dr Zubir Ahmed and MHRA’s Jenn Matthissen urged people to avoid unregulated sources and to seek advice from qualified healthcare professionals.
  • Enforcement context includes an October MHRA seizure of more than £250,000 in counterfeit weight-loss jab products in Northampton, with a subsequent Guardian investigation linking continued advertising on Telegram.