Unlicensed versions of retatrutide, an experimental weight loss drug nicknamed the 'Godzilla jab,' are being illegally sold on social media platforms in the United Kingdom, according to an investigation by the Daily Mail. The drug, which is not licensed in the UK and is illegal to sell for human use, is believed to be manufactured in large Chinese laboratories and imported into the UK by distributors who then sell it at a significant markup.
An undercover reporter for the Daily Mail was able to purchase a five-week supply of retatrutide from a businesswoman with connections to Cambridge University for £55. This individual runs a website that sells a variety of weight loss and beauty drugs for "research use only," a common disclaimer used to circumvent regulations. However, the seller actively recommended the drug for weight loss, describing it as a promising next-generation obesity medicine.
The drug is developed by Eli Lilly, the same pharmaceutical company behind Mounjaro and Ozempic. Retatrutide has gained popularity following trial results indicating it could help users lose up to a third of their body weight. The individuals involved in its illicit sale are described as a mix of 'gym bros,' 'bio hackers,' and those seeking weight loss, often operating within middle-class circles.
Chinese laboratories are reportedly producing vast quantities of retatrutide, with one facility claiming an annual production capacity of up to 350 tons. This lab stated it sells hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of weight loss drugs to the UK each month. The wholesale price for 70 vials of retatrutide was listed at approximately £525, allowing UK sellers to potentially profit over £3,000 on a single purchase by selling individual vials for around £55.
Medical experts and regulatory bodies have voiced serious concerns about the safety of these unlicensed drugs. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has recorded 105 reports of suspected side effects linked to retatrutide, including one death, though it notes these reports do not definitively prove causation. The MHRA has warned consumers against the online hype surrounding retatrutide, stating that "rogue sellers are driven by profit, not your safety."
Professor Adam Taylor, a specialist in anatomy, noted that the promotion of these drugs by health influencers on social media normalizes risky drug-taking among the middle classes. He cautioned that these drugs have not undergone stringent safety checks, posing significant risks to users who may unknowingly be experimenting on themselves. The MHRA has previously conducted raids on UK operations producing illegal weight-loss drugs, including a seizure of over 2,000 unlicensed pens worth more than £250,000 from a warehouse in Northampton.