Pharmacies across the UK are preparing for a “surge” in patients seeking weight management treatments in the new year, Olivier Picard, chair of the National Pharmacy Association (NPA), has warned.
The caution comes as the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) continues to issue alerts about the dangers of purchasing weight-loss medication through social media or unregulated websites.
In a warning issued on 30 December 2025, the MHRA advised the public to avoid weight-loss products promoted online, particularly those promising “quick fixes,” “miracle results,” or unusually low prices. The agency urged patients to obtain medicines only from registered UK pharmacies or reputable retailers, verify pharmacy registration via the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC), and report suspicious websites or products to the MHRA’s Yellow Card scheme.
Jenn Matthissen, part of the MHRA’s safety and surveillance team, stressed the health risks of illegal online purchases. “People often look for ways to support their health at this time of year, but buying medicines from illegal online sellers can put your health at real risk,” she said.
Zubir Ahmed, a minister in the Department of Health and Social Care, echoed these concerns. “These products are made with no regard for safety or quality and pose a major risk to unwitting customers. Don’t line the pockets of criminals who don’t care about your health,” he said. Ahmed added that licensed obesity drugs can benefit patients with a clinical need but must only be obtained from registered pharmacies with a valid prescription.
Picard told The Pharmaceutical Journal that pharmacies anticipate a spike in demand for weight management treatments after New Year. “However, there is a risk of criminals trying to take advantage, with unscrupulous fake sellers seeking to cash in,” he said. He warned that online weight-loss drug scams are “becoming more sophisticated” and emphasized the importance of seeking treatment from regulated pharmacies, whether online or in-person.
“Community pharmacies can provide patients with the support they need to achieve sustainable weight loss, including lifestyle advice and monitoring, where eligible for treatment,” Picard added.
A GPhC spokesperson reinforced the message, stating: “Getting prescription-only medicines for weight management from unregulated sources puts people at risk of potentially life-threatening side effects. Medicines not supplied by a registered pharmacy may be fake and can make people very ill. Always ensure that any prescription medicines obtained online are from a GPhC-registered pharmacy.”
Recent investigations highlight the scale of the problem. In November 2025, The Pharmaceutical Journal reported TikTok videos promoting retatrutide, an injectable weight-loss drug yet to be approved. In October 2025, the MHRA seized more than 2,000 unlicensed weight-loss pens and raw chemical ingredients, in what the agency described as “believed to be the largest single seizure of trafficked weight-loss medicines ever recorded by a law enforcement agency worldwide.”
