Stricter regulations have been implemented by the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) for the prescribing of weight loss injections such as Mounjaro (tirzepatide) and Wegovy (semaglutide).
New regulations can cause worry and raise questions, particularly for patients taking these medications. However, we can put your mind at ease by reassuring you that your treatment won’t be affected.
Your weight loss support and prescription will continue as normal. You won’t need to take any additional steps and rest assured; there will be no delays.
What is different with weight loss prescribing?
The GPhC has implemented new regulations to help ensure that prescribing is safe and appropriate. This means pharmacies now need to verify additional health information before they can prescribe weight loss medication.
Previously, prescribers could make a decision based solely on the information provided by the patient in their consultation. However, height, weight and body mass index (BMI) must be verified before these medications can be considered for prescribing, which is part of the new clinical process.
The guidelines recommend that pharmacists use suitable methods to verify the information, such as requesting some additional pictures, conducting a video consultation, checking the patient’s clinical records, or speaking to a healthcare provider, such as the individual’s GP, to validate the answers in the questionnaire.
The new regulations have been implemented to help ensure that people cannot provide inaccurate information to obtain these medications that may not be suitable for them.
As always, here at myBMI, we are dedicated to meeting these strict regulations and providing safe and correct treatment to all our patients. All of our consultations are reviewed by highly trained clinicians specialising in weight management.
Our prescribers will only prescribe treatment if it’s appropriate for you, and they will also keep your GP up to date with your current weight loss treatment.
myBMI fully supports the new regulations, which helps to ensure people can access weight loss medication safely. The GPhC can provide you with more information about these recent changes here.
Why are these changes necessary?
The new changes are essential to ensure everyone receives safe and appropriate treatment. These regulations ensure that prescriptions are dispensed based on accurate information verified appropriately rather than on simply what has been provided in a questionnaire.
They help prevent individuals from supplying false information to obtain this medication when it may not be suitable or safe for them.
What do the new regulations mean for you?
You might be worried about the new regulations and what you need to do now; however, rest assured that there is nothing additional for you to do.
When you are due your next dose, you will continue as usual and won’t need to take any extra steps.
Once you reach a healthy BMI, you may continue with your weight loss medication while establishing healthy eating habits and a routine of regular physical activity to maintain your new weight.
