The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is warning the public not to buy pre-filled pens claiming to contain Ozempic (semaglutide) or Saxenda (liraglutide) but to consult a healthcare professional qualified to prescribe medicines and obtain a prescription.
Semaglutide and liraglutide are prescription only medicines.
Saxenda (liraglutide), is authorised in the UK for weight loss, with diet and exercise. Ozempic (semaglutide) has been authorised for the treatment of adults with type 2 diabetes, also with diet and exercise. It is not authorised for weight loss, but it is commonly used off-label for that purpose.
The MHRA has seized 369 potentially fake Ozempic pens since January 2023, and has also received reports of fake Saxenda pens that have been obtained by members of the public in the UK through non-legitimate routes (any route that does not require a prescription from a qualified prescribing healthcare professional). None were seized before January 2023.
Buying prescription-only medicines online without a prescription poses a direct danger to health. The MHRA has received reports of a very small number of people who have been hospitalised after using potentially fake weight-loss pens.
With any medicines bought outside of the legal supply chain, the contents may not match the ingredients on the label. Serious side effects reported of those hospitalised, including hypoglycaemic shock and coma, indicate that the pens may contain insulin rather than semaglutide.
If anyone has a concern about their health, they should visit their GP or pharmacist, get a correct diagnosis and if medicines are prescribed, obtain them from a legitimate source.
All pharmacies in Great Britain, including those online, must be registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council ( GPhC) and meet their standards for registered pharmacies.
Dr Alison Cave, MHRA Chief Safety Officer said:
"Buying products such as Ozempic or Saxenda without a prescription, from illegally trading suppliers, significantly increases the risk of receiving something which is either fake or not licensed for use in the UK.
Products purchased in this way do not meet our strict quality and safety standards, and taking such medicines may put your health at significant risk.
"We are advising all members of the public not to use any pre-filled weight loss pens they may have bought online and instead to report it to us so that we can investigate and take any necessary action.
"If you suspect that you've had a side effect to semaglutide, liraglutide or any other medicine, or suspect it's not a genuine product, you can report it to our Yellow Card scheme."
Health Minister Will Quince said:
"No one should put profit before the needs of patients, but fraudsters selling black market medicines like this are extremely dangerous and can put people's health at risk.
"The medical advice is clear: patients should only use medicines like Ozempic or Saxenda where they've been prescribed it by a legitimate source, such as their GP or another legitimate prescriber.
"The MHRA have our full support in cracking down on these illegal online suppliers to ensure that patients are protected."
Professor Paul Gately, CEO of Obesity UK, said:
"We at Obesity UK are very concerned to hear reports that people living with obesity are falling victim to criminals who are obtaining and selling fake weight loss medication.
"The dangers to health are clear. Our advice, like that of the MHRA, is that only medication prescribed by a qualified medical/healthcare professional should be taken.
