What are fake weight loss injections?
Fake weight loss medications are “treatments” that have not been approved by the necessary authorities, such as the GPhC (General Pharmaceutical Council), MHRA (Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency) and HPRA (the Health Products Regulatory Authority).
Because these fake weight loss treatments aren’t regulated, it’s hard to determine what they contain and how they can affect your body.
How to identify fake or unsafe weight loss injections
There are multiple ways to determine if medication is legit and supplied by a trusted provider.
Provider or source
An authority will regulate your provider. If you are purchasing from a website, there will be multiple trust signals for you to look out for, such as:
- Pharmacy registration numbers
- A website certification status
- Prescribing pharmacist(s) registered with the GPhC
Pharmacy & pharmacist registration numbers, and website certification statuses
Every legitimate pharmacy is registered and has a number that certifies it. Most of the time, the website keeps these numbers and certificates very visible.
If a website does not show these numbers or certificates, you can visit the GPhC website and search by the pharmacist’s or pharmacy’s name.
Cost
Weight loss medications aren’t cheap, so it is understandable why many people look for more affordable alternatives. However, if the medication you find is inexpensive, it might not be legitimate and could contain treatment that is not good for you.
In the UK
In Ireland, prices may vary.
Appearence
Legitimate weight loss injections are well packaged, clearly branded, pre-filled and sanitary. Fake weight loss medications can take various forms, such as unbranded syringes, poorly printed branding and incorrect logos. The pen and packaging might also look and feel cheap.
Active ingredients
The active ingredient in weight loss medications causes the effects that make you lose weight. If you purchase Mounjaro (with the active ingredient tirzepatide), you expect to lose a certain percentage of body weight.
If somebody is selling fake Mounjaro with a different (or no) ingredient, you may not lose any weight and get no outcome from the medication that you are using. Alternatively, the ingredient could be dangerous, and you could seriously harm yourself.
What are the risks of counterfeit weight loss treatments?
Allergic reactions & serious side effects
Fake medications will not willingly describe the dangerous ingredients of the pen or tablet. If you go to a healthcare professional or pharmacy, they will ask the right questions to determine whether it’s safe for you to take a particular medication. They can also offer the correct help with side effects and understand when they become too serious.
By purchasing from untrusted sources, like social media or salons, you will not be asked the necessary questions or offered adequate support while taking the medication.
Sepsis
Sepsis is a serious condition caused by the body reacting badly to an infection. Infection-fighting cells turn on the body and fight the body, causing vital organs to work less efficiently. If left untreated, it can progress into septic shock, which can damage the kidneys, liver, and other organs.
In some studies on fake weight loss medication, needles were being delivered dirty or were already used. This is extremely dangerous. If you do not know how to identify a dirty needle and administer treatment, you put yourself in extreme danger of sepsis and other diseases.
What are the different types of counterfeit weight loss treatments?
“DIY Ozempic” & powder “Wegovy”
“DIY Ozempic,” also known as powder “Wegovy,” is a powder in a small vial. You inject water (bacterial static water) into the vial, mix it, and then inject it. The powder’s identity is unknown but falsely labelled as semaglutide.
Unlabelled pre-filled syringes
There are a lot of pre-filled, unlabelled syringes being sold as weight loss treatment. It’s not clear what they contain or what they will do to your body until you have already injected them. It’s too late by then, and you could already be seriously affected by it.
Avoiding fake or cheap medications by sticking with medical professionals, registered pharmacies, and weight loss clinics is the best way to keep yourself safe.
What you should do if you see counterfeit treatments being sold
There are many places you will find cheap or counterfeit treatments being sold. It could be salons, social media, or friends of friends.
If you suspect somebody is selling counterfeit medication, you can report them to the MHRA.
If someone uses social media to sell fake medication, you should report their account.
