By Dr Ramoo, Medical Director, Bramacare
The UK is witnessing a sharp and largely unchecked rise in the use of weight loss injections such as Ozempic and Wegovy. While these drugs have proven clinical value when prescribed appropriately, their growing availability online, often without medical oversight, is creating a new and urgent public health challenge.
Recent IQVIA data reveals that 1.5 million people in the UK are now using weight loss jabs, with 95% obtaining them through online platforms. In just six months – from October 2024 to March 2025 – private spending on these drugs surged from £503 million to £784 million, a 56% increase.
Weight loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy were originally developed as targeted treatments for chronic conditions, including obesity and type 2 diabetes. Used responsibly and under supervision, they can be transformative. But these medications are not lifestyle aids. They are not suitable for casual use or for individuals who have not undergone a thorough health screening.
Unfortunately, the ease of access online, driven by convenience, consumer demand, and aggressive digital marketing, has outpaced current regulatory frameworks. A growing number of online pharmacies and providers now offer weight loss injections after users fill in basic self-assessment forms. Many of these providers are based outside the UK or operate in regulatory grey zones. Some offer no follow-up care, and most lack meaningful safeguards to identify patients for whom the drugs may be unsafe or unsuitable.
This digital loophole is being exploited, placing an undue burden on our already stretched health and mental health services. NHS clinicians are increasingly encountering patients who have experienced adverse effects after sourcing weight loss medication privately – some requiring urgent intervention, others facing a relapse of eating disorders previously in remission.
The regulatory lag in this space is now a public health issue, and one that demands coordinated action across the Department of Health and Social Care, the MHRA, NHS and digital policy leads.
We at Bramacare are calling for four specific interventions that should be implemented UK-wide. Firstly, everyone looking to use weight loss injections should have an in-person consultation with a healthcare professional. This ensures the injections are not only suitable for the individual but that there has been appropriate safeguarding against side effects or a history of eating disorders.
Any prescribing protocol for weight loss medication should include a basic psychological screening, ideally drawing on existing NICE guidelines and early warning signs for disordered eating. Many individuals presenting for weight loss support may be better served by mental health or psychological interventions.
Online pharmacies and digital health platforms need to be regulated. This includes mandatory registration with the General Pharmaceutical Council, the use of GMC-registered prescribers, and a requirement for continuity of care planning. Enforcement powers should be enhanced for UK regulators to act swiftly against rogue operators, including those based abroad but targeting UK consumers.
Unregulated or non-clinical providers should be prohibited from marketing weight loss injections online. The current digital environment enables the misleading and irresponsible promotion, often through influencer marketing, of products targeted at young people and vulnerable groups. A cross-platform advertising ban, akin to those applied to tobacco and gambling, is justified in this context.
At Bramacare, we are committed to evidence-based care and early intervention. Regulations must be changed to protect the most vulnerable. These are not easy challenges, but neither are they insurmountable. With cross-sector collaboration and leadership from central Government, we can ensure that weight loss medications are used responsibly, ethically, and safely. For more information about Bramacare visit: bramacare.co.uk
Recent Comments