Pharmacy leaders have urged people not to buy fake weight-loss jabs, which are readily available online, as they said shortages of Ozempic are expected to stretch into next year. Ozempic is only currently available on the NHS for people with type 2 diabetes while rival Wegovy can be prescribed for weight loss via specialist services, although only for those with a BMI over 30 with at least one obesity-related health condition. However, the so-called “skinny jabs” can be easily obtained online, particularly through social media sites, where they have been heavily promoted by celebrities and “influencers” who have shared stories of their weight loss success since taking the self-injectable drugs.
Now, the National Pharmacy Association (NPA) has warned of a possible “explosion in the unlicensed sale of medication online,” with people purchasing Ozempic and Wegovy (both brand names of the generic drug, semaglutide) from unlicensed sellers. This has led to a shortage of the drug for those with diabetes while also fuelling a rise in counterfeit jabs—which have sometimes been found not to contain any of the active ingredient needed to balance blood sugar. 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. N.