Doctors urge caution against ‘misuse’ of weight loss vaccine

The UK’s medicines regulator has asked doctors to look out for “signs of misuse” of weight loss drugs among their patients.

This comes amid reports of people taking medication for “aesthetic” weight loss even though they are not obese.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) said “the benefits and risks of using these medicines for weight loss by people who are not obese or overweight and do not have weight-related comorbidities have not been studied.”

Health Secretary Wes Streeting said the drugs “should not be taken to help get a nice body shot on Instagram” and should be treated as “serious medicines”.

He added that weight control medications “should only be used by those struggling with obesity.”

The MHRA said doctors should report misuse of glucagon-like peptide-1 agonists (GLP-1) medicines.

The regulator also urged healthcare providers to ensure that patients taking the drugs are aware of possible side effects and to report any adverse reactions.

It was stated that most of the side effects were mild, but some could be serious.

The regulator also said people getting private prescriptions for medicines should “ensure that it is issued from authorized sources, such as registered online pharmacies, to avoid the risk of receiving a counterfeit pen”.

Global supply issues have been reported for GLP-1 agonists such as Wegovy.

Medications can help manage blood sugar and are used to treat type 2 diabetes and obesity.

The MHRA’s chief security officer, Dr. Alison Cave said: “All medications carry a potential risk of side effects and GLP-1RAs are no exception.

“We encourage healthcare professionals to ensure that patients treated with these medications are informed about common side effects and how to minimize the risk.

“The balance of benefits and risks has not been shown to be favorable outside the licensed indication. Please report cases of abuse, especially if harm occurs.”

Mr Streeting added: “Weight loss drugs have enormous potential. Taken together with healthy diet and exercise, they could be a game changer in tackling obesity and helping people get healthier.

“But these are not cosmetic drugs that should be taken to help achieve a beautiful body photo for Instagram. These are serious medications and should only be used responsibly and under medical supervision.

“They are not a quick fix to lose a few kilos and buying them online without proper consideration could put people’s health at risk.

“Drugs approved for weight control should only be used by those struggling with obesity for whom diet and exercise have been tried for the first time and patients are eligible.”

Last week the Prime Minister said new weight-loss vaccines could help boost the economy in Britain by getting people “back to work”.

Sir Keir Starmer said the anti-obesity drug could also help ease pressure on the NHS.

Mr Streeting also suggested the drugs could be given to unemployed people to help them return to work, while a trial is being launched to assess the impact of weight-loss jabs on unemployment.

Researchers will examine the “real-world effectiveness” of Mounjaro’s anti-obesity treatment over a five-year period.

Figures from the Health Survey for England show that by 2022, 29% of adults in England will be obese and 64% will be considered overweight or living with obesity.