TikTok influencers fuelling parallel market for unlicensed weight-loss drug | Consumer affairs

Parallel online market for unlicensed weight loss drug fueled by TikTok fitness influencers and sellers on whatsappa Guardian investigation can reveal.

Retatrutide, which is still undergoing clinical trials, is being touted by social media influencers for its purported fat-burning effects. Followers are strongly encouraged to DM for links to vendors and also receive discount codes.

Trade is booming Telegramwhere groups of thousands of members share before and after photos, injection instructions and claims for next day delivery in the UK. Sellers advertise the drug there before directing customers to WhatsApp for transactions.

Retatrutide is an experimental injection developed by American drugmaker Eli Lilly. The drug targets three gut hormones – GLP-1, GIP and glucagon. Early trials suggest it can help patients lose up to a quarter of their body weight. The drug, nicknamed “triple G,” is being hailed online as the next Ozempic.

However, doctors and pharmacists warn that the sale of the drug, which is still unlicensed in the UK, is a cause for concern and could lead to consumers injecting products of unknown origin.

Some believe that the popularity of retatrutide may be due to the rising cost of licensed weight loss products such as Mujaro.

Selling retatrutide at Tik Tok or Telegram is illegal in the UK because it is an unlicensed drug and cannot be sold or supplied for human use under the Human Medicines Regulations 2012.

Some influencers try to get around the rules by calling the drug a “research chemical” or saying it is “not intended for human consumption.” Retatrutide is not a controlled drug, but its promotion and supply may still violate drug, advertising and consumer protection laws, which could result in fines, prosecution or imprisonment.

TikTok influencer John Kluth, who resides in the US and has 226,500 followers, posted an update on June 26 about his four-week trip, which he called “reta,” and that followers could use “code John” to purchase it. He then goes to an account that sells peptides called Halfnattys. When asked to comment, Kluth did not respond and the account was deleted.

Another UK influencer account called @MappyMyGains talks about retatrutide as a “game changer” on September 21, and when followers ask where he gets the drug from, he says: “Text me mate.” He did not respond to a request for comment.

Another promoter named @clairejoy86 posted a video with the captions “Reta's day 10…” to the background track of Sabrina Carpenter's Manchild. Those who comment are encouraged to message her for more information. She did not respond to a request for comment and the account was instead deleted.

According to TikTok, the social media company removed the offending content and banned hashtags and search suggestions related to it. The company said it is committed to ensuring the security of the platform and is investing in strengthening law enforcement strategies.

The Guardian also discovered groups with up to 9,000 members selling retatrutide using Telegram's built-in search tool, which operates as a public directory. Typing “retatrutide” will instantly open channels with thousands of members filled with weight loss photos, glowing testimonials, and step-by-step guides for mixing or injecting at home.

Within minutes of joining one of the groups, the seller posted WhatsApp details, where most transactions take place. The seller sent instructions and promised delivery within 48 hours. When asked if the item was genuine, one seller replied: “You can’t be sure.” Another shared a photo of a purported lab certificate. No one asked about weight, health, or previous experience.

Within these groups, messages show black plastic parcels with Royal Mail labels claiming to contain new shipments. One message said: “It took us eight people to load them this morning.”

Buyers can choose between bottles of powder mixed at home with sterile water, or pre-filled pens, which typically retail at £160 for 20mg. When asked how long a pen should last, sellers give conflicting answers: from several weeks to “depending on your body.”

A Telegram spokesperson said the company actively moderates harmful content on its platform, including content that encourages the “misuse of controlled drugs.” It added that it removes “millions of pieces of harmful content every day.”

Jason Murphy, head of pharmacy at Chemist4U, said unregulated imports could be dangerous. “People are injecting substances that they cannot verify. Even if the science behind retatrutide is sound, these online versions may not contain what they claim,” he said.

Dr Crystal Wyllie of Asda Online Doctor linked the surge in demand to recent price increases for approved weight-loss drugs such as Mujaro. “As costs rise, patients are turning to social media. But fake injections are extremely dangerous. You can't be sure what's inside or whether the environment in which they were given was sterile,” she said.

Her team has already seen patients harmed by self-injections from unverified sources. “We understand the frustration, but purchasing through Telegram or WhatsApp puts your health at risk,” Willey said. “These substances may be contaminated or dosed incorrectly.”

An Eli Lilly spokesperson said retatrutide is in phase 3 clinical trials and has not been reviewed or approved by any regulatory agency anywhere in the world. “So at present no one can sell [it] for human use,” they said, adding that any product “falsely claiming to be a Lilly investigational product not yet approved… may expose patients to potentially serious health risks.”