EU medicines chiefs have criticized ‘cosmetic overuse’ of injections like Ozempic, which is causing shortages with ‘serious consequences for public health’
The “excessive” use of slimming pills for cosmetic reasons has had “serious consequences” for public health, European health chiefs warned today.
The jabs, which are administered weekly, are expressly intended to help patients with type 2 diabetes control their blood sugar levels or to help obese people lose weight for health purposes.
Drugs containing semaglutide, tirzepatide and liraglutide – sold under the brand names Ozempic/Wegovy, Mounjaro and Saxenda – are being hailed as game changers in the fight against obesity, which costs billions in healthcare costs.
But bosses at the European Medicines Agency (EMA) have said its use among non-obese people who ‘do not have weight-related health problems’ has ‘raised concerns’.
They say this has exacerbated existing medicine shortages, meaning patients who need them most cannot access them, with ‘serious public health consequences’.
Wegovy and Ozempic work by causing the body to produce a hormone called GLP-1 that is naturally released from the intestines after meals
Ozempic is available on the NHS as a treatment for controlling blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes. Last May it was also approved for weight loss under the brand name Wegovy and launched on the NHS in September for weight loss for overweight or obese patients with weight-related health problems
The intervention comes amid growing concern in Britain about the number of normal-weight and underweight patients requiring emergency care after receiving jabs in a bid to become ‘beach body ready’.
Young women in particular are said to purchase the drug through online pharmacies. These offer the drug for amounts of between £150 and £200 per month after providing false information about their appearance and health.
In some cases, it is even thought that people who take the shots without a legitimate medical reason do so as a result of an eating disorder.
Semaglutide, better known as Ozempic, has been available on the NHS for type 2 diabetics since 2019. controlling blood sugar levels.
Another semaglutide drug was also approved for weight loss in 2022 under the brand name Wegovy.
Tirzepatide, branded as Mounjaro, was given the green light earlier this year for the same reason.
The jabs, which belong to the class of drugs called GPL1 agonists, have been shown to help users lose an average of up to 15.3kg over 68 weeks.
They work by tricking the brain into thinking they are full, which reduces appetite and helps people lose weight.
According to NHS guidelines, only patients with a body mass index (BMI) over 35, or a BMI of 30 and at least one weight-related health problem, such as high blood pressure, should be prescribed Wegovy.
Although private prescribers are not bound by this, they should still follow general professional guidelines and take into account national guidelines to ensure that only patients who need the medicine can access it.
Under the EMA’s new warning, the agency said the jabs “are not approved for and should not be used for cosmetic weight loss.”
This also applies to non-obese patients or overweight people who “do not have weight-related health problems,” the agency said.
Instead, health professionals should “consider offering these people lifestyle advice.”
EU member states are also “encouraged to develop guidelines” to help identify which patients need these drugs during shortages, the agency added.
“These guidelines can help ensure patients in need have access to these essential treatments during times of limited supply.”
Semaglutide has been shown to help users lose an average of up to 30 pounds (15.3 kg) over 68 weeks. The treatments trick the brain into thinking it is full, reducing appetite and keeping users from overeating. However, huge global demand has led to counterfeit versions flooding the market. Health officials have seized more than 600 possibly counterfeit Ozempic pens in Britain since early 2023
Manufacturers of weight loss injections that have a marketing authorization must also ensure that promotional activities are accompanied by weight management awareness campaigns.
Huge global demand for the jabs is being met by a wave of counterfeit versions flooding the market.
Last August, reports of fake weight loss shots first appeared in Great Britain.
British health officials say they have seized more than 600 possibly counterfeit Ozempic pens across the country since early 2023.
Watchdog, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), warned that patients had suffered seizures and even fallen into comas after injecting themselves with fake jabs sold online.
The MHRA also said that many pens do not even contain semaglutide and are often just insulin pens that have been repackaged to look real, fooling customers.
When patients inject themselves, this insulin spike causes a rapid drop in blood sugar levels, which can be potentially fatal.
In its list of recommendations, the EMA also warned that people ‘should be aware’ that jabs sold online ‘may be counterfeit and therefore have serious consequences for their health’.
They urged patients not to buy these drugs online without a medical prescription.
Clinics charge around £40 for a week’s supply of Mounjaro or tirzepatide. Patients who use it can expect to lose up to 20 percent of their body weight, data suggests. Anyone with a BMI over 30 – the technical classification for obesity – can receive a private prescription
According to the latest data, digestive problems were the most commonly reported side effects of tirzepatide, Mounjaro’s active ingredient. About one in five participants suffered from nausea and diarrhea, and about one in ten reported vomiting or diarrhea
Nick Kaye, chairman of the National Pharmacy Association, responded to the guidance: ‘Last year the MHRA already issued a national patient safety alert and it is likely that this further announcement from the EMA will lead to tighter controls on the distribution of this medicine in the UK.
He added: ‘Pharmacies want to ensure that those most in need of legitimate treatment are prioritized and we are pleased that it is recommended to scale up production distribution.’
The groundbreaking injections have been praised by Elon Musk and Jeremy Clarkson, among others.
Ministers plan to distribute the drug to millions of overweight Britons in a bid to cut the country’s bulging benefits bill. Children could eventually also receive the shots.
Like any drug, semaglutide can have known side effects that vary in both frequency and severity, including nausea, constipation, diarrhea, fatigue, stomach pain, headache, and dizziness.
Some patients have also experienced hair loss while using it.
The latest NHS data shows that 26 percent of adults in England are obese and a further 38 percent are overweight but not obese.
Experts have pointed to a lack of exercise and poor diets high in ultra-processed foods as key drivers of Britain’s obesity epidemic.