Watchdog warns of illegal weight loss medicines

Soaring demand for GLP-1 receptor agonists, commonly prescribed for diabetes and obesity, is driving a surge in the online sale of illegal medicines. The European Medicines Agency (EMA) and the Heads of Medicines Agencies (HMA) are warning the public that products, often solid via fraudulent websites and promoted on social media, may not meet EU standards of quality, safety and efficacy.

The blockbuster medicines, including semaglutide, liraglutide and tirzepatide, have become sought after and, in some countries, shortages and restrictions have made it difficult for some patients to secure supplies. Others are buying the products without prescription, but regulators say illegal products pose a serious risk to public health.

Crucially, medicine bought online may not contain the claimed active substance at all or could contain harmful levels of other substances. ‘People who use these products are therefore at a very high risk of treatment failure, unexpected and serious health problems and dangerous interactions with other medicines,’ the EMA said in a statement.

Authorities have identified hundreds of fake Facebook profiles, advertisements and e-commerce listings, many of which are hosted outside the EU. Some fraudulent websites and social media advertisements misuse official logos and use false endorsements to mislead consumers. Illegal suppliers are being actively monitored by national authorities. Enforcement actions include ordering product withdrawals, blocking websites and cross-border collaboration with enforcement officers and other international partners.

To help the public identify legitimate online medicine retailers, the EU introduced a common logo which appears on the websites of all registered online pharmacies and retailers. Clicking on the logo takes buyers to a national register of authorised retailers. If a website does not have this logo or is not listed on a national register, the website is fraudulent and operating illegally.