What to know about the risks of using weight loss drugs unsupervised

Weight loss medications have become a major topic of conversation this year, as efforts to tackle high obesity rates in the UK continue. However, Britons have been warned about the dangers of misusing these medications following serious complications experienced by some patients.

Last week, a nurse’s death became the first to be officially linked to the use of Mounjaro, a tirzepatide weight loss drug that was recently approved for use on the NHS.

Susan McGowan, 58, took two low-dose injections of Mounjaro in the two weeks before she died on 4 September. According to the BBC, her death certificate stated multiple organ failure, septic shock and pancreatitis as the immediate cause of death, but it also recorded "the use of prescribed tirzepatide" as a contributing factor.

It was reported that McGowan purchased a prescription for the weight loss drug via a registered online pharmacy.

Her death came after the National Pharmacy Association (NPA) warned of a possible "explosion in the unlicensed sale of medication online" and urged people not to risk their health by buying the weight loss injections without proper checks.

The NPA advised patients to speak to their pharmacist or GP about whether they are eligible for and should have a prescription for weight loss drugs instead of buying them from online sellers who are unregistered and unlicensed.

In October, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) reported that nearly 50 people were hospitalised after using weight loss drugs. The health body also told doctors to be alert for patients who may be misusing the injections.

Are weight loss drugs safe?

In the UK, there are three types of anti-obesity medications that are proven to be safe and effective for use on the NHS. These are orlistat, liraglutide and semaglutide. All weight loss products under the NHS must be prescribed.

Mounjaro, which uses tirzepatide, will soon be made available to nearly 250,000 NHS patients for the purposes of weight loss - but proposals made by the Naitonal Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) recommend the drug be gradually rolled out over the next three years.

While Orlistat works by preventing a third of the fat from the food you eat from being absorbed, Liraglutide - sold under the brand name Saxenda - and semaglutide - sold under Wegovy - are weight loss medications that work by making you feel fuller and less hungry.

The MHRA says that prescription-only medications are "effective and acceptably safe when used within their licensed indications". However, there are nonetheless "risks associated with their use".

"When appropriately used in line with the product license, the benefits of these medications outweigh the risks for patients. However, this benefit-risk balance is positive only for patients within the approved indications for weight management or type 2 diabetes as described in the product information," the health body says.

What are the risks of weight loss drugs?

When not used under the supervision of a healthcare professional, weight loss injections can lead to some serious complications.

The risks become more serious when people turn to weight loss injections sold on social media, as these have the potential of being fake. In April, a 27-year-old named Shannon Flannery said she was rushed to hospital after vomiting continuously for four days and urinating blood after taking a "skinny jab" she purchased through Instagram.

More recently, a woman in Doncaster was admitted to hospital after a weight loss injection she bought for £180 via Facebook left her with symptoms such as vomiting blood and a blinding headache.

The MHRA also warned that the medications may be used "inappropriately" and urged doctors to keep an eye out for patients who may be misusing it.

The medicines safety watchdog said it received reports of severe dehydration following gastrointestinal drug reactions, "including for individuals who may not meet the prescribing criteria and may have used these medicines inappropriately for weight loss".

What is the criteria for weight loss drugs?

Weight loss drugs are only approved for patients with a body mass index (BMI) higher or equal to 30kg/m2, or for patients whose BMI is higher to or equal to 27kg/m2 and have a weight-related medical condition, such as cardiovascular disease.

They can only be prescribed by a registered healthcare professional.

Dr Alison Cave, MHRA chief safety officer, said: "All medicines carry a risk of potential side effects and GLP-1RAs are no exception.

"We encourage healthcare professionals to ensure patients being treated with these medicines are aware of the common side effects and how to minimise risk.

"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."

Watch: Fat Joe credits cutting carbs and Ozempic for 200-pound weight loss

Health secretary Wes Streeting added that weight-loss drugs "have enormous potential" when taken alongside healthy diet and exercise.

"But these are not cosmetic drugs that should be taken to help get a body beautiful picture for Instagram," he warned. "These are serious medicines and should only be used responsibly and under medical supervision. 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."

Read more about weight loss:

• What we know about weight loss jabs for unemployed Brits (Yahoo Life UK, 5-min read)

• Mum in hospital urinating blood after buying weight-loss jab online (WalesOnline, 4-min read)

• Mounjaro will soon be available as a weight loss treatment on the NHS – here’s what that means for patients (The Conversation, 5-min read)