Pharmacy leaders have urged people not to buy fake weight loss jabs online as they said shortages of Ozempic are expected to stretch into next year. The National Pharmacy Association (NPA) warned of a possible "explosion in the unlicensed sale of medication online", with people risking their health by purchasing Ozempic and Wegovy (semaglutide) without proper checks. The weight-loss injections have become very popular, with social media showing before and after pictures of fat loss, and some celebrities endorsing their use.
Ozempic is available on the NHS for people with type 2 diabetes, while Wegovy can be prescribed for weight loss via specialist weight management services, with strict criteria around who can get the drugs. Pharmacists are experiencing a shortage of Ozempic, fuelled by high demand plus the fact some medics are prescribing it off-label for obese people. Ozempic, made by Novo Nordisk, helps people with type 2 diabetes regulate their blood sugar levels but its ability to suppress appetite has also led to people using it to lose weight.
This has led to a shortage of the drug for those with diabetes while also fuelling a rise in counterfeit jabs. The NPA, which represents more than 5,000 independently-run community pharmacies, is urging patients to speak to their pharmacist or GP instead of buying medicines online from sellers who are not registered and regulated in the UK. It also warned that problems obtaining Ozempic are likely to continue into next year.
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