A significant portion of general practitioners (GPs) have treated patients who were hospitalized after using counterfeit weight-loss injections, according to new research. This trend emerges as demand for appetite-suppressing drugs like Wegovy, Ozempic, and Mounjaro increases, raising concerns about the safety risks posed by black market alternatives.
The survey, conducted by Asda Pharmacy among 267 GPs, found that 25 percent of practitioners have encountered patients requiring hospitalization due to complications from these illegal medications. The demand for such drugs is reportedly fueled by their high private cost, which can reach up to £300 per month, while National Health Service (NHS) access remains restricted.
Officials previously warned that while some counterfeit products may contain the same active ingredients as legitimate weight-loss jabs, they could be manufactured in unhygienic conditions and potentially contaminated. Despite these warnings and numerous seizures at borders, the research indicates a rise in exposure to unregulated medicines in Britain.
Eighty-six percent of GPs reported seeing an increase in patients being offered these injections over the past year. Common side effects reported by GPs include severe vomiting, diarrhea, and dehydration, with nearly two-thirds of practitioners observing these issues. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has noted that using illegal injections can lead to serious health complications, including infections at the injection site, which can cause swelling, pain, redness, and fever symptoms.
Concerns have also been raised about the lack of medical guidance provided to patients accessing these drugs through unlicensed channels. Unregulated sellers have been found operating in beauty salons, gyms, and on social media platforms. Reports have surfaced of fake jabs being sold in locations like fish and chip shops and pubs.
Authorities have seized over 18,000 illegal and counterfeit weight-loss and diabetes medicines at UK borders between January 2024 and June 2025. In one instance earlier this year, the MHRA intercepted nearly 2,000 doses of fake weight-loss medication shortly before they were to be distributed.
Overseas laboratories, particularly in China, are believed to be a significant source of imitation drugs, which can be sold for as little as £1.50 per vial before being resold for profit. There has been at least one death in Britain linked to the use of fake weight-loss drugs.
In response to these concerns, Asda Pharmacy has launched a program encouraging individuals who suspect they have purchased fake medication to dispose of it at their pharmacies. The pharmacy chain aims to provide safe, trusted support and advice for individuals managing their weight.
The MHRA has previously issued specific warnings, such as urging users of a suspected counterfeit 15mg Mounjaro pen with batch code D873576, supplied by The Private Pharmacy Clinic in Birmingham, to cease use immediately. While testing confirmed the presence of the active substance, tirzepatide, the unknown manufacturing conditions meant sterility could not be guaranteed. The agency advises reporting any suspected side effects or counterfeit products through its Yellow Card scheme.