Overview
- The MHRA cautions that some weight-loss medicines, including all GLP-1 ‘skinny jabs’, are prescription-only and require prior clinical assessment by a qualified professional.
- Illegally sold products may be fake, contaminated, incorrectly dosed, or contain undisclosed powerful ingredients that can trigger heart problems, psychological effects, or dangerously low blood sugar.
- People are urged to buy only from registered UK pharmacies, checking registration via the GPhC in Great Britain or the PSNI in Northern Ireland.
- The agency advises avoiding social-media promotions that promise quick fixes, miracle results, or unusually low prices, which are common markers of illegal sellers.
- Health Minister Dr Zubir Ahmed and MHRA safety lead Jenn Matthissen urge seeking licensed treatments through proper medical channels and reporting suspect websites or products to the MHRA Yellow Card scheme.