Brits have been urged not to buy fake weight loss pens being sold by illegal traders after some people around the country suffered serious effects including coma.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) issued the stark warning after seizing hundreds of devices claiming to contain Ozempic (semaglutide) or Saxenda (liraglutide). Saxenda is authorised in the UK for weight loss, with exercise and diet, while Ozempic has been authorised for the treatment of adults with type 2 diabetes – and while it is not authoritsed for weight loss, it is commonly used off-label for that purpose.
However, the regulator said the fake weight loss pens being sold online may actually contain other harmful substances. The MHRA said it seized 369 potentially fake Ozempic pens since January 2023 and also received reports about fake Sazenda pens. It urged people trying to lose weight to consult a healthcare professional who can prescribe medicines in order to get a prescription.
The medicine regulator said the content of illegal medicines may not match the ingredients on the label, which can put your health at risk. It said “a very small number of people” were hospitalised after using potentially fake weight loss pens – and added that serious effects including hypoglycaemic shock and coma indicate that the pens may contain insulin rather than semaglutide.
Dr Alison Cave, MHRA Chief Safety Officer said: “Buying products such as Ozempic or Saxenda without a prescription, from illegally trading suppliers, significantly increases the risk of receiving something which is either fake or not licensed for use in the UK. Products purchased in this way do not meet our strict quality and safety standards, and taking such medicines may put your health at significant risk.
“We are advising all members of the public not to use any pre-filled weight loss pens they may have bought online and instead to report it to us so that we can investigate and take any necessary action. If you suspect that you’ve had a side effect to semaglutide, liraglutide or any other medicine, or suspect it’s not a genuine product, you can report it to our Yellow Card scheme.”
The Yellow Card Scheme enables the MHRA to monitor safety concerns such as suspected side effects or adverse incidents involving healthcare products, including medicines, vaccines, blood factors and immunoglobulin products, medical devices, e-cigarettes and complementary therapies such as homeopathies. The scheme also collates information about suspected safety concerns involving defective, falsified or fake healthcare products. Anyone can report defective or fake healthcare products to the Yellow Card scheme via the Yellow Card scheme website or app.
Health Minister Will Quince said: “No one should put profit before the needs of patients, but fraudsters selling black market medicines like this are extremely dangerous and can put people’s health at risk. The medical advice is clear: patients should only use medicines like Ozempic or Saxenda where they’ve been prescribed it by a legitimate source, such as their GP or another legitimate prescriber. The MHRA have our full support in cracking down on these illegal online suppliers to ensure that patients are protected.!
Professor Paul Gately, CEO of Obesity UK, said: “We at Obesity UK are very concerned to hear reports that people living with obesity are falling victim to criminals who are obtaining and selling fake weight loss medication. “The dangers to health are clear. Our advice, like that of the MHRA, is that only medication prescribed by a qualified medical/healthcare professional should be taken.”