What are the dangers of buying weight-loss drugs online and how to spot fake websites as experts issue warning

• The MHRA issues warning about buying weight-loss drugs online.
• It is illegal to buy weight-loss drugs without a prescription from a healthcare professional.
• Medications from beauty salons, fake pharmacies or social media are not only illegal but could make you seriously ill.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is warning the public against buying weight-loss drugs online this New Year.

Weight-loss drugs which are known as GLP-1 Receptor Agonists (RAs) are rising in popularity in the UK. Selling these medications without a prescription from a healthcare professional is illegal, with drugs from fake pharmacies and social media accounts not only against the law but also running the risk of making you seriously unwell.

Andy Morling, MHRA Deputy Director of Criminal Enforcement, said: “At this time of year, with many of us thinking about shedding a little excess weight, we see people offering weight loss medicines for sale as a quick fix, without a healthcare professional’s prescription, from beauty salons, websites and on social media.”

Adding: “These are not cosmetic treatments; they are powerful medicines that can only be legally and safely dispensed against a prescription issued by a healthcare professional.”

Can you buy weight-loss drugs online?

Weight-loss drugs can be purchased online legally as long as you have a prescription issued by a healthcare professional.

The only way to make sure you receive a genuine product is to get it from a legitimate pharmacy, including those trading online, against a prescription issued by a healthcare professional. If you’re offered a weight-loss medicine without a prescription online you are breaking the law and putting yourself at serious risk.

Dr Alison Cave, MHRA Chief Safety Officer said: “The decision to start, continue or stop treatments should be made jointly by patients and their prescribing healthcare professional – such as a GP or pharmacist – based on full consideration and discussion of the benefits and risks.”

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What are the dangers from buying weight-loss drugs online?

The MHRA’s Criminal Enforcement Unit have warned against buying medications from beauty salons or on social media. Buying weight-loss medications from unregulated suppliers with a prescription from a healthcare professional is not only illegal, but can also be dangerous to your health.

Morling explained: “Fake pharmacy websites and social media sellers illegally supply medicines that are not approved for use in the UK.”

He continued: “These may contain toxins and other ingredients that could cause real harm, and you may even end up in hospital. We work with our partners, including the police and Border Force, to tackle those selling medicines illegally and causing harm. As the tactics of these organised criminal gangs evolve, so do our methods to identify, disrupt and dismantle them.”

Adding: “Our role at the MHRA is to ensure the medicines you take are acceptably safe and effective. We are here to protect your health. Stay safe this New Year.”

How to stay safe when buying medications online

Criminals will go to great lengths to make their websites look authentic and convincing, to make sure you are using a legitimate online pharmacy in the UK, you can check that it is properly registered at the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC).

You can find out more about the safety risks of buying medicines online at NHS.UK.