People fake weight to obtain skinny jabs, says Chelsmford GP

A GP says she has seen patients put “weights on their backs” to falsify readings so they can be prescribed weight loss injections online.

Fiona Graham, who runs a private clinic in Chelmsford, Essex, said she regularly received requests for Vegovi and Munjaro from people who did not meet the criteria for the drugs.

“People use weights, water bottles under their arms, books, anything that makes them look heavier than they really are,” she said.

Roz Gittins, from the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPC), said its guidance makes it clear that doctors prescribing weight-loss drugs should check patients' weight and height before dispensing the drugs.

Dr Graham, who also runs NHS clinics, said people could “experience nutritional depletion” if they use the drug without being entitled to do so because they will not be able to meet their nutritional needs naturally.

“We can see people losing bone density and muscle mass, and that's where we might see some problems in the future,” she said.

Dr Graham has called for stricter checks to prevent jabs being sold inappropriately online.

“How do we know what someone weighs if it's just a photo of how much they weigh?” she added.

“This leads to people who can bend the rules and bypass the system.”

The weight loss jabs have been available on the NHS in England since the end of June, but the drug is not available without a prescription and patients must qualify. strict criteria for obtaining a prescription.

It is estimated that around 1.5 million people in the UK take weight loss medication.

James (not his real name) said he used the jab to lose weight to maintain his athletic physique.

The 34-year-old from Suffolk explained that he had never had any problems selling the drug online.

“Two minutes on Google and you can put them in your cart,” he said.

“I’ll keep taking it—if it hurts me, it won’t hurt anyone else.”

The National Institute for Clinical Excellence says weight loss injections should only be offered on the NHS to obese adults with a body mass index (BMI) of at least 35 and a pre-existing weight-related condition.

Guidance from the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) states that online private practitioners should only prescribe Mujaro to adult patients with a BMI of 30 or more.

Ms Gittins, GPC's chief pharmacist, said: “Earlier this year we updated our guidance to clarify that when supplying medicines used for weight control, the prescriber must independently verify the information provided by the person, including their weight, height and/or body mass index.

“We check hundreds of pharmacies every month and contact many more in response to concerns we receive.

“We will continue to take appropriate action to protect patient safety when a pharmacy does not meet our standards.”

An MHRA spokesman said: “Prescription weight loss medications should only be purchased from a registered pharmacy with a prescription from a healthcare professional.

“Taking these medications obtained any other way carries serious risks to your health with no guarantees as to what they contain.”

The BBC has contacted the Department of Health and Social Care.