Wes Streeting and the medical regulator issued a joint warning yesterday amid growing concerns that the ‘serious medication’ is being misused.
The health secretary said the injections are not ‘cosmetic’ treatments and should only be used by obese people who have been unable to shift their weight through diet and exercise.
They should also be prescribed responsibly and used under medical supervision, he added.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) reminded healthcare professionals to inform patients about the possible side effects of the medicines.
And it said they must report side effects to officials using the MHRA’s yellow card system.
Health Minister Wes Streeting said the injections are not “cosmetic” treatments
Doctors are told to be on the lookout for patients abusing fat sticks in pursuit of a ‘quick fix’ (file image)
Ozempic and its sister drug Wegovy work by causing the body to bind to a receptor called glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), a protein that triggers the release of hormones in the brain that keep the stomach full and telling the body to stop eating and avoid cravings
NHS-backed data source OpenPrescribe shows rising prescriptions for semaglutide, the drug in Ozempic and Wegovy
The class of drugs known as glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists includes Wegovy and Ozempic, which are used to treat obesity and diabetes.
More than one in ten users experience gastrointestinal side effects, such as vomiting and diarrhea.
In most cases these are not serious, but can sometimes lead to severe dehydration, resulting in hospital admission.
Mr Streeting, who has proposed giving obese unemployed people the jab to get them back into work, said: ‘Weight-loss drugs have huge potential.
‘In combination with a healthy diet and exercise, they can be game changers in tackling obesity and returning good health to people.
‘But these are not cosmetic drugs that should be used to get a nice body photo for Instagram.
‘These are serious medications and should only be used responsibly and under medical supervision.
‘They’re not a quick fix to losing a few pounds, and buying them online without proper review could put people’s health at risk.
‘Drugs approved for weight management should only be used by people tackling obesity, where diet and exercise have first been tried and where patients are eligible.’
Other serious side effects of the medication include pancreatitis and gallbladder disease.
When ‘used appropriately’ in accordance with the product licence, the MHRA said the benefits of the medicines outweigh the risks.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) reminded healthcare professionals to inform patients about the possible side effects of the medicines
The Food, Diet and Obesity Committee previously called on ministers to fix the ‘broken food system’ (stock image)
However, it warned that this balance is only positive for patients within the approved scope.
For weight management, this means patients with a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 or for patients with a BMI greater than or equal to 27 and who have a weight-related medical condition, such as cardiovascular disease.
GLP-1 receptor agonists can only be prescribed by a registered healthcare professional.
The MHRA said that patients receiving a private prescription from a non-NHS prescriber should ensure this is provided by an authorized source, such as a registered pharmacy, to avoid the risk of receiving a bogus prescription.
Some fake shots appear to contain insulin, which can cause severe hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) that requires urgent medical attention.
Signs include sweating, shaking, feelings of fatigue or weakness, and confusion.
Dr. Alison Cave, chief safety officer at the MHRA, said: ‘All medicines carry a risk of potential side effects and GLP-1RAs are no exception.
‘We encourage healthcare professionals to ensure that patients treated with these medicines are aware of the common side effects and how to minimize the risks.
‘It has not been shown that the balance between benefits and risks outside the registered indication is favorable. Please report incidents of abuse, especially if harm occurs.”