EU drug chiefs hit out at 'excessive cosmetic use' of jabs like Ozempic that's causing shortages with 'serious consequences for public health'
'Excessive' use of slimming jabs for cosmetic reasons has had 'serious consequences' on public health, European health chiefs warned today.
The jabs, which are administered weekly, are expressly designed to help type 2 diabetes patients control their blood sugar levels or for obese people to lose weight for health purposes.
Drugs containing semaglutide, tirzepatide and liraglutide —which are sold under the brand names Ozempic/Wegovy, Mounjaro and Saxenda — have been hailed as gamechangers in the fight against obesity, which costs billions in healthcare costs.
But European Medicines Agency (EMA) bosses have said their use among non-obese people who 'do not have weight related health problems' has 'raised concerns'.
They say this has exacerbated existing shortages of the drugs meaning patients who need them the most can't access them, with 'serious consequences for public health'.
Wegovy and Ozempic work by triggering the body to produce a hormone called GLP-1 that is released naturally from the intestines after meals
Ozempic is available on the NHS as a treatment for managing blood glucose levels in people with type 2 diabetes. Last May, it was also approved for weight loss under the brand name Wegovy and launched in September on the NHS for weight loss for patients who are overweight or obese with weight-related health problems
The intervention comes amid growing concern in the UK about the number of normal weight and underweight patients needing A&E care after taking jabs in a bid to become 'beach body ready'.
Young women in particular are believed to be obtaining the drug via online pharmacies, who offer them at between £150 to £200 per month, after providing false information about their appearance and health.
In some cases, people taking the jabs without legitimate medical cause are even thought to be doing so as a result of eating disorders.
Semaglutide, most commonly known as Ozempic, has been available on the NHS since 2019 for type 2 diabetics to manage blood sugar levels.
Another semaglutide drug was also approved for weight loss in 2022 under the brand Wegovy.
Tirzepatide, branded as Mounjaro, was given the green light earlier this year for the same reason.
The jabs, which belong to class of medications called GPL1 agonists, have been shown to help users lose up to 33lbs (15.3kg) on average over 68 weeks.
They work by tricking the brain into thinking it's full, consequently slashing appetite, and helping people lose weight as a result.
Under NHS guidelines only patients who have a body mass index (BMI) of over 35, or a BMI of 30 and at least one weight related health problem like high blood pressure, should be prescribed Wegovy.
While private prescribers aren't bound by this, they still need to follow general professional guidelines and consider national guidance to ensure only patients that need the drug get access to it.
Under the EMA's new warning the agency said the jabs 'are not approved for and should not be used for cosmetic weight loss'.
This includes among non-obese patients or those who are overweight who 'do not have weight related health problems', the agency said.
Instead, health professionals should 'consider offering these people lifestyle advice'.
EU member states are also 'encouraged to develop guidelines' to help prioritise which patients require these drugs during shortages, the agency added.
'These guidelines can help ensure that patients in need receive access to these essential treatments during times of limited supply.'
Semaglutide has been shown to help users lose up to 33lbs (15.3kg) on average over 68 weeks. The treatments trick the brain into thinking it's full, consequently slashing appetite and stopping users from overeating. Huge global demand, however, has seen counterfeit versions flood the market. Health officials have already seized more than 600 potentially fake Ozempic pens across the UK since the start of 2023
Weight loss jab manufacturers who hold marketing authorisation should also ensure promotional activity is accompanied by awareness campaigns on weight management.
Huge global demand for the jabs has been met by a wave of counterfeit versions flooding the market.
Reports of fake slimming jabs in the UK first emerged last August.
UK health officials say they have already seized more than 600 potentially fake Ozempic pens across the nation since the start of 2023.
Watchdog, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), warned patients had suffered from seizures and even being left comatose after injecting themselves with fake jabs being sold online.
The MHRA also said many won't even contain semaglutide and are often just insulin pens which have been repackaged to look like the real thing, fooling customers.
When patients inject themselves, this insulin surge causes a rapid drop in blood sugar — which can potentially be fatal.
Among its list of recommendations, the EMA also warned that people 'should be aware' that jabs sold online 'could be falsified and therefore can have serious consequences for their health'.
They urged patients not to purchase these medicines online without a medical prescription.
Clinics are charging around £40 for a week's supply of Mounjaro, or tirzepatide. Patients taking it can expect to lose up to 20 per cent of their body weight, data suggests. Anyone with a BMI above 30 — the technical classification for obesity — can get a private prescription
According to the latest data digestive problems were the most commonly reported side effects of tirzepatide, the active ingredient of Mounjaro. These included about one in five participants suffering from nausea and diarrhoea, and about one in 10 reporting vomiting or diarrhoea
Responding to the guidance, Nick Kaye, chair of the National Pharmacy Association, said: 'A national patient safety alert was already issued by the MHRA last year and it is likely that this further announcement from the EMA will put tougher controls on the distribution of this drug in the UK.
He added: 'Pharmacies want to make sure that those who are in most need of legitimate treatment are prioritised and we are pleased that manufacturing distribution has been recommended to be scaled up.'
The game-changing injections have been hailed by the likes of Elon Musk and Jeremy Clarkson.
Ministers plan to dole the drug to millions of overweight Brits to trim the country's bulging benefits bill. Children could eventually be given the jabs, too.
Like any medication, semaglutide can have known side effects that vary in both frequency and severity, including nausea, constipation, diarrhoea, fatigue, stomach pain, headaches and dizziness.
Some patients have also suffered hair loss while on them.
Latest NHS data shows 26 per cent of adults in England are obese and a further 38 per cent are overweight but not obese.
Experts have pointed to a lack of exercise, and poor diets high in ultra-processed food, as being key drivers in the UK's obesity epidemic.
