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The National Pharmacy Association (NPA), representing independent community pharmacies, has called for tougher regulation of the online sale of weight loss jabs to protect patients amid a prediction of a new year's boom in demand. The association argues that current regulation "leaves the door open for medicines to be supplied without appropriate patient consultation and access to patient records." It has urged the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) to require greater consultation with patients before dispensing weight loss jabs and other high-risk medication online. The association stressed that online sellers should not just rely on information provided in online questionnaires but also gather important historical medical information before a full two-way consultation between prescriber and patient. Draft guidelines on weight loss medication The GPhC proposed changes to their current guidance for online pharmacies to improve patient safety. It launched a consultation on the revised guidance on 17 September, inviting feedback until 9 October 2024 from the public, carers, pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, other healthcare professionals, and pharmacy owners. In its response to proposed guidelines on prescribing weight loss medication, the NPA highlighted critical gaps, stating that proposed safeguards "still leaves the door open for medicines to be prescribed/supplied without appropriate two-way direct patient consultation and access to patient records for a full clinical picture particularly where high-risk medicines are involved, and the risk to patient safety remains".

A 58-year-old nurse from North Lanarkshire, Scotland, has reportedly died after taking the weight-loss drug tirzepatide, which was recently approved for use on the NHS. Susan McGowan died from multiple organ failure, septic shock and pancreatitis, with the use of the Eli Lilly drug listed as a contributing factor on her death certificate, according to the BBC. She had taken two low-dose injections of tirzepatide, known by the brand name Mounjaro, over a two-week period before her death on 4 September. Her death is thought to be the first in the U.K. officially linked to the drug. McGowan, who had worked for over 30 years as a nurse at University Hospital Monklands in Airdrie, purchased a prescription for the drug through a registered online pharmacy. A few days after her second injection, McGowen began experiencing severe stomach pains and sickness. She went to A&E at Monklands - where her colleagues tried to save her life. Within days, her kidneys failed, and she fell into a coma as her other organs began to fail.

The General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) has published updated guidance on online pharmacy services in Great Britain, introducing additional safeguards to prevent unsafe supply of high-risk medicines, including weight loss injections. Under the new rules, medicines used for weight-management and medicines requiring physical examination before a prescribing decision is made have been added to the list of high-risk medicines. When prescribing these medicines, prescribers can no longer rely solely on online questionnaires. Instead, they must independently verify patient information, either through timely two-way communication with the person, accessing the person's clinical records, or contacting the person's GP, their regular prescriber, or a third-party provider. These measures aim to prevent individuals from providing false information to obtain medicines that may not be clinically appropriate for them, reducing potential harm. The pharmacy regulator updated its guidance in response to concerns identified relating to unsafe prescribing and supply of medicines online.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has warned the public to avoid buying pre-filled weight loss pens without a prescription. The warning came after 369 fake Ozempic injections have been seized since January 2023. However, Saxenda pens were obtained by members of the public in the UK through "non-legitimate routes". The health regulator has urged the public to buy the pens after consulting a healthcare professional and with a prescription. Dr Alison Cave, MHRA Chief Safety Officer shared her opinion on the matter, she said: "Buying products such as Ozempic or Saxenda without a prescription, from illegally trading suppliers, significantly increases the risk of receiving something which is either fake or not licensed for use in the UK.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at the port of Cincinnati seized two unapproved shipments of weight loss drugs, including one from a UK pharmacy, last month. On 5 October, CBP officers seized a shipment declared as "cosmetic weight loss product" and found containing Mounjaro injectable pens of multiple doses (2.5mg, 5mg, and 7mg). The shipment, arriving from a UK pharmacy and heading to a residence in Ohio, violated the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FDCA), according to a U.S. Customs and Border Protection report. Cincinnati CBP officers on 14 October intercepted another shipment, which was also destined for an Ohio residence. This shipment from Hong Kong contained 20 vials of Semaglutide 10 mg and 150 Tirzepatide 30 mg, with a domestic value of $45,450. LaFonda D. Sutton-Burke, Director of Field Operations-Chicago, stated that seizures involving these types of unapproved medications are a common occurrence that her officers see on a regular basis.

It has been reported that several Austrians have been taken to the hospital after injecting fake Ozempic, as confirmed by health regulator. Austria's Federal Office for Safety in Health Care (BASG) confirmed that the patients have suffered hypoglycaemia and seizures. It is believed that the injections contained insulin instead of the weight loss drug, semaglutide. The health regulator has urged doctors and patients to verify their medication stocks.

People are advised to be mindful of medications that may cause sun reactions, and to watch out for dodgy hay fever treatments and fake weight loss pens. For those traveling abroad, the MHRA advises considering the suitability of medicines available to reduce the risk of contracting tropical diseases. Dr Alison Cave, Chief Safety Officer at the MHRA, said: "The summer is an exciting time for many of us, as we take time off to travel and enjoy the warmer weather. "But it is important to understand what this time of year means for our medicines and medical devices, and take the precautions necessary to use products safely and protect ourselves." Watch out for dodgy hay fever treatments Millions of Britons suffer from hay fever symptoms in the summer. The MHRA advises consulting a healthcare professional to find the best treatment for your symptoms. People are also warned to be cautious of medicines advertised as hay fever treatments but not approved for use in the UK, such as Kenalog. This is a prescription-only steroid injection licensed as a medicine for other conditions, but not for the treatment of hay fever.

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