Pharmacies are putting public safety at risk by offering “unethical” promotions for weight-loss vaccines, experts say.
Products such as Wegovy, Mounjaro and Ozempic are being sold online with enticements including discount codes, special offers and free shipping, the Mail can reveal.
Advertising prescription-only medicines breaches rules from the Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Authority (MHRA) and the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA).
But online pharmacies are free to promote “weight loss services,” including repeat prescriptions for vaccines, if they do not mention specific products.
Campaigners last night urged authorities to close this loophole, warning that the market for weight-loss drugs is growing exponentially.
Online pharmacies put public safety at risk by offering “unethical” promotions for weight-loss vaccines, experts say
Brands like Wegovy, Mounjaro and Ozempic (pictured) are sold online with incentives including discount codes, special offers and free shipping.
They accused pharmacies of “irresponsibly taking advantage” of the growing popularity of the drugs, which work by simulating the hormones that control appetite.
A Mail audit found that simple search terms like “buy Ozempic,” “buy Wegovy,” or “weight loss drugs” instantly generate pages of “sponsored” ads for online pharmacies on search engines.
High street giant Boots advertises ’10 per cent off repeat orders – Weight Loss Service from £48′ while Superdrug had the same discount for new customers with a ‘Savings code on your weight loss treatment’.
Simple Online Pharmacy says customers can ‘Save 30% – Was £199, Now £139 – Lowest Price Guarantee’ on weight loss pens and MedExpress has ‘Weight Loss Injections – £149 – New Injection £149 – £40 off’.
As none of them refer to the specific names of the weight loss drugs, they comply with MHRA and ASA regulations. (must be retained)
Oksana Pyzik, a professor at UCL’s School of Pharmacy, said such promotions were undermining both patient safety and trust.
She said: ‘Pharmacies enjoy great public trust and online pharmacies advertising access to discounted weight loss shots are not only harmful to patients but undermine the trust of all online healthcare providers.
‘Rapid action is needed to nip this viral trend in the bud: compliance with MHRA regulations on advertising prescription-only medicines is mandatory for all pharmacies, whether online or otherwise – public safety depends on it.’
Over the past 12 months we have seen an explosion in the market for injectable weight loss drugs.
Known as GLP-1 receptor agonists, they work by reducing food cravings and causing the stomach to empty more slowly; there are reports of patients losing up to a fifth of their body weight.
Ozempic is available on the NHS for the treatment of type 2 diabetes, while Wegovy and Mounjaro are only intended for obese patients with a body mass index (BMI) above 30 and 35 respectively.
But there is growing concern that people are obtaining private prescriptions through online consultations, often without undergoing thorough medical checks.
Campaigners have urged authorities to close the loophole, warning that the market for weight-loss drugs is growing exponentially.
The trend prompted NHS national medical director Stephen Powis to urge the public not to use them to “get ready for the beach” or to “shed a few pounds”.
There are also concerns about potential side effects, with links to pancreatitis and gallbladder problems along with more common ailments such as nausea.
Tam Fry, chairman of the National Obesity Forum, urged people to treat them with caution, adding that the long-term effects were not yet known.
He said: “It is absolutely unethical for pharmacies to promote these drugs in this way.”
‘We don’t yet know the full effects and it seems that companies are irresponsibly taking advantage of people’s insecurity.
“The rush to lose weight is understandable, but they really should not be taken without a proper prescription from a GP and then patients are kept under close surveillance.”
The obesity drugs market is forecast to reach £100bn by 2030, driven by rising demand for what many see as a quick fix for weight loss.
Despite regulations, ads are common on social media and the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) works with Instagram to remove around 100 ads a day.
An ASA spokesman said its rules are clear that prescription-only medicines should not be advertised to the public.
Wegovy and Ozempic work by stimulating the body to produce a hormone called GLP-1 that is naturally released from the intestines after meals.
He said: “These rules cover all media, including online spaces. Advertisements may refer to consultations about the treatment area, but only to the extent that that reference is representative of a licence for that prescription medicine.”
The General Pharmaceutical Council, which regulates pharmacists, said its guidance to pharmacists includes that “special offers on medicine prices should not be highlighted on the website as they are likely to promote specific medicines that are only available on prescription.”
Representatives for Boots, Superdrug and Simple Online Pharmacy said they fully comply with MHRA guidelines and ASA advertising codes.
A Boots spokesperson said: ‘All Boots Online Doctor prices are for the full service, from online consultation to follow-up and support, and not just for prescription medicines.
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‘Weight loss treatment is most effective when used consistently, alongside significant lifestyle changes. We offer a 10% discount on Boots Online Doctor’s weight loss service for returning patients to encourage them to stay with us and receive ongoing care.’
A Superdrug spokesperson said: ‘Our Superdrug Online Doctor advertising fully complies with the ASA and MHRA specific weight loss services guidelines, which allow advertising of weight loss services, provided no reference is made to any prescription medicines that may be provided as part of the treatment.’
Simple Online Pharmacy said: ‘We take compliance with advertising guidelines very seriously, especially in such sensitive areas as medication.
We believe our advertising practices adhere to all relevant regulatory standards and Google advertising policies.
MedExpress did not respond to requests for comment.
The MHRA said customers seeking information about a clinic or potential treatments should not be presented with material promoting prescription-only medicines, but other websites they choose to access may contain non-promotional information about specific medicines.
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Complaints were evaluated on a “case-by-case” basis.
A spokesperson said: ‘The MHRA takes concerns about the illegal promotion of prescription weight loss medicines to the public very seriously.
‘We consider complaints we receive about alleged prescription-only advertising of medicines to the public, assessing each case on its own merits and, where appropriate, working with other regulators to take action.’
