Weight loss jabs have been linked with approximately ten deaths, the medicines watchdog has revealed.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has reported that 68 people have been admitted to hospital after taking Wegovy or Ozempic.
A total of 7,228 reports of vomiting, nausea and diarrhoea have been recorded as a result of weight loss jabs.
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“Underlying or concurrent illnesses and other medicines the patients may have been taken at the time of their death may be responsible and such events can also be coincidental,” said the MHRA.
Healthcare professionals are now being urged to tell patients about the side effects linked with weight loss injections.
Since August 2024, there has been a 48% increase in the number of hospital admissions associated with weight loss jabs.
The MHRA said: “Healthcare professionals should be alert for signs of misuse of these medicines in their patients, warn these patients that they are at risk of side effects and report any adverse reactions.
“Patients should also be warned of the risk of counterfeit GLP-1RA medicines for weight loss if not prescribed by a registered healthcare professional and be aware that some falsified medicines have been found to contain insulin.”
In June, a young girl was rushed to hospital with life-threatening symptoms after she used Wegovy, which she had purchased through Boots Online Doctor.
Wegovy and Ozempic contain the same drug at a different dose, but Wegovy is used to treat obesity and overweight, while Ozempic is used to treat type 2 diabetes.
Wes Streeting, Health Secretary, said: “The injections are not cosmetic treatments and should only be used by obese people who have failed to shift weight through diet and exercise. They also need to be prescribed and used responsibly under medical supervision.
“Weight-loss drugs have enormous potential. When taken alongside healthy diet and exercise, they can be game changers in tackling obesity and getting people back to good health. But these are not cosmetic drugs that should be taken to help get a body beautiful picture for Instagram.”
He added: “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.”
He concluded: “Drugs approved for weight management should only be used by those tackling obesity, where diet and exercise has been tried first, and where patients are eligible.”
