Controversial use of a diabetes drug for weight loss without an NHS prescription has been branded a loaded gun by eating disorder charities.
Anti-diabetic jab Ozempic, which is self-injected, can be bought online without seeing a doctor.
The weekly treatment has gone viral on TikTok – with 430 million views of the hashtag. But serious side effects include life-threatening pancreatitis, as well as vomiting and stomach pain.
And this and other so-called “skinny jabs” could be extremely dangerous for vulnerable people with eating disorders, experts warn.
Under NICE guidelines, Ozempic can only be prescribed on the NHS to people with Type 2 diabetes who meet certain criteria, such as having a BMI of 30 or more.
But the Sunday Mirror discovered the drug can easily be bought online and in beauty salons by people without diabetes.
Our reporter was able to purchase two lots of Ozempic – a 0.5mg and a 1mg pen – via a simple online health questionnaire without any face-to-face checks, phone calls or appointments, and lying that their BMI was above 30.
And soon a similar anti-diabetic medication, Wegovy, is to be sold for weight loss and available via an “online prescription” with a questionnaire which checks for BMI.
Gemma Tyson, 40, started taking Ozempic in 2021 after buying it for £250 via Facebook when she weighed 15 stone and her BMI was 35. Despite giving her current BMI of 24, she is still able to order Ozempic online with QuickMeds.
Mum-of-three Gemma, of Cheddar, Somerset, who works with adults with learning disabilities, said: “I have never had to lie.
“They know I am using it to maintain my weight, so I explain that and I can keep getting it. If I had to lie to get it though, I would.”
Eating disorder charities warned of the dangers for vulnerable people. Deanne Jade, director of the National Centre for Eating Disorders, said: “It’s like handing a loaded gun to people with eating disorders.
“When you play with a powerful drug like this, you’re playing with fire.”
Tom Quinn, of Beat, warned Ozempic could easily be misused and be “incredibly attractive” to people with eating disorders.
He added: “Misusing medication to try to lose weight can have very serious health implications.” And obesity expert Dr Simon Cork, of Anglia Ruskin University, warned the side effects of Ozempic could be life-threatening.
He said: “If you are not being monitored for those signs, then by the time you know you have it, you’re in an emergency situation.”
Ozempic is the brand name for semaglutide, which lowers blood sugar by boosting insulin. Experts claim it could be “game-changing” for people with obesity, although it is not licensed for non-diabetics.
Its popularity has led to a shortage, sparking concern diabetics might not be able to get their medication.
The Department of Health warned against new prescriptions last year while supply stabilises.
A spokesman for Ozempic maker Novo Nordisk said: “While Novo Nordisk acknowledges all licensed prescribers have the choice to prescribe treatments outside of their intended purpose, or approved parameters of use, Novo Nordisk does not endorse this in any way. Patient safety is our priority.”
LloydsPharmacy Online Doctor said its clinicians “will prescribe Wegovy if medically appropriate”.
A QuickMeds spokesman said: “It is pretty common practice among practitioners to support patients down to a healthy BMI.
“It’s understood that the moment the medication is withdrawn from them, they will regain some weight and we want them to remain within a healthy BMI range.”
The firm said it was hard to tell if patients were lying, adding: “Where we detect [it], we will give a phone call and orders are declined. We have a fairly high decline rate.”
A government spokesman said people “should only take medicines prescribed by their doctor”.
Novo Nordisk added it was working to stabilise supply of Ozempic for Type 2 diabetics.
