Warning over ‘wild west’ of weight-loss drugs on black market: ‘We can’t arrest our way out of this’
Regulators in the UK are warning about the growing black market for weight-loss drugs, with over 1.5 million people using the medication and a potential street value of nearly £45 million. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has seized almost 20 million doses of illegally traded medicines, highlighting the need for public education to combat the issue.
The UK's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has seized almost 20 million doses of illegally traded medicines. The black market for weight-loss drugs is growing, with a potential street value of nearly £45 million. Weight-loss injections, such as Mounjaro and Wegovy, are prescription-only but are being sold illegally through social media and unregulated suppliers. The MHRA is warning that sourcing medications from unregulated suppliers can be dangerous. The agency has 55 officers patrolling the internet for illegal sellers, but says it cannot arrest its way out of the problem and needs to educate the public.
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