Regulator warns about people using weight loss jabs for 'aesthetic' reasons
A regulator has told doctors to look out for patients using weight loss drugs for "aesthetic" reasons when they are not obese.
The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) delivered the warning to doctors amid reports of "misuse" of the drugs.
The “benefits and risks of using these medicines for weight loss by individuals who do not have obesity or who are not overweight with weight-related comorbidities have not been studied”, the MHRA said.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting has said the drugs “should not be taken to help get a body beautiful picture for Instagram” and must be treated as “serious medicines”.
Drugs for weight management “should only be used by those tackling obesity”, he added.
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The MHRA said that doctors should report misuse of the glucagon-like peptide-1 agonists (GLP-1) drugs and has recommended that all patients be made aware of the possible side effects.
Most side effects are mild but some can be serious, it added.
The regulator also said that people who are getting a private prescription for the drugs should “ensure that this is dispensed from authorised sources, such as registered online pharmacies, to avoid the risk of receiving falsified pens”.
Global supply issues have been reported for the drugs, such as Wegovy.
The medication can also help manage blood sugar and is used to treat type 2 diabetes and obesity.
Dr Alison Cave, the MHRA’s chief safety officer, said: “The balance of benefits and risks outside the licensed indication has not been shown to be favourable. Please report cases of misuse especially if harm occurs."
Streeting said that when used in the right way, weight loss drugs have "enormous potential".
"When taken alongside a healthy diet and exercise, they can be game-changers in tackling obesity and getting people back to good health.
“They’re not a quick fix to lose a few pounds and buying them online without appropriate assessment can put people’s health at risk," he added.
Last week, the prime minister said new weight loss jabs could help boost the economy in Britain by getting people “back into work”.
Sir Keir Starmer said that the anti-obesity medication could also help ease pressure on the NHS.
Streeting also suggested that the drugs could be given to unemployed people to help them return to the workplace as a trial was launched to assess the impact of weight loss jabs on being out of work.
Researchers will examine the “real-world effectiveness” of anti-obesity treatment Mounjaro over a five-year period.
Figures from the Health Survey for England show that in 2022, 29% of adults in England were obese and 64% were deemed to be overweight or living with obesity.
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