Patients are risking serious harm, including severe illness and death, by turning to cheap, counterfeit prescription weight-loss injections sold through illicit online channels and unregulated beauty salons, health authorities have warned.
Dr Suzanne Wylie, a GP and medical adviser for the regulated online pharmacy IQDoctor, issued a stark warning about the trend. “Ultimately, my advice to patients is that while these medications can be very effective when used appropriately, they are still powerful prescription drugs, and the risks of cutting corners to obtain them cheaply can far outweigh the benefits,” she said. She emphasised the particular danger of “injecting something into your body that has not met even the most basic safety standards.”
The potential dangers of unverified medications
The drugs in demand, often called “fat jabs”, are primarily semaglutide-based medications like Ozempic and Wegovy. They mimic a natural hormone to suppress appetite and are highly effective for weight management, but are strictly prescription-only. The surge in their popularity has created a UK black market where demand far outstrips regulated supply.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), which polices the safety of medicines in the UK, warns that counterfeit and unlicensed products may contain no active ingredient at all, incorrect dosages, or harmful substances including insulin and bacterial contaminants. Dr Wylie notes these fakes can look identical to genuine pens.
Using these unverified injections carries severe risks. The MHRA and health experts state potential consequences include infection, allergic reactions, hypoglycaemic shock, severe vomiting leading to dehydration and electrolyte imbalance, pancreatitis, coma, and even death. There have already been reports of individuals requiring hospitalisation and fatalities linked to black market injections.
Crucially, obtaining these drugs outside the proper channels means users bypass essential medical supervision. A legitimate prescription involves a consultation to assess suitability, discuss benefits, limitations, and manage potential side effects, all of which is absent when buying online.
How the illicit trade operates
The black market thrives on social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook, as well as through messaging apps such as WhatsApp and Telegram. The illicit trade has also moved into physical premises, with some beauty salons and cosmetic providers illegally selling and administering the injections. There have even been reports of illegal “skinny jab parties” where unlicensed jabs are sold.
The primary lure is price. While a legitimate private prescription for a drug like Wegovy typically costs between £150 and £200 for a 28-day supply, black market offers promise the same for as little as £10 a month. The MHRA notes that many of these offers are outright scams, with the average victim losing £120 and receiving either nothing or a dangerous product.
The regulator is actively combating the trade. In 2025 alone, the MHRA disrupted over 1,500 websites and social media accounts illegally selling medical products and has seized millions of doses of illegally traded medicines. It consistently warns the public against purchasing prescription-only medicines from unregulated sources.
Securing treatment safely
Legitimate access to these weight-loss medications in the UK follows two main paths, both requiring a prescription. On the NHS, eligibility is highly restricted, usually requiring a BMI of 40 or more (or 32.5 for certain ethnic groups) alongside a weight-related health condition, and must be part of a supervised lifestyle programme.
For those who do not meet NHS criteria, a private prescription from a GP or a registered online pharmacy after a consultation is the safe alternative. Reputable online pharmacies, regulated by the MHRA and the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC), ensure medication is genuine and correctly dosed. IQDoctor, for instance, states it sources genuine medication from the same suppliers as high street pharmacies and will notify a patient’s GP of any treatment.
The MHRA urges the public to only buy from registered UK pharmacies displaying the official green cross logo and to verify a pharmacy’s registration with the GPhC. Suspected fake products or side effects should be reported via the MHRA’s Yellow Card scheme.