Unlicensed injections, referred to as 'Godzilla' fat jabs and containing retatrutide, are being illegally sold online, primarily through social media platforms, by individuals described as middle-class dealers. Retatrutide, potentially the most potent weight loss medication developed to date, is being marketed and distributed despite lacking official licensing for human use in regions like the UK and carrying significant safety concerns.
A reporter for the Daily Mail, posing as a buyer, was able to purchase a five-week supply of retatrutide from a businesswoman. This individual, identified as Sheryl Cuisia, 48, operates a website that sells various weight loss and beauty drugs marketed for 'research use only.' This disclaimer is often employed to circumvent drug regulations, though authorities have stated such disclaimers do not absolve sellers of responsibility if products are promoted for human consumption.
Cuisia, described as an entrepreneur with links to King's College, Cambridge, reportedly sourced the drugs from China. She stated that her supply primarily comes from Chinese laboratories. An investigation into one such laboratory revealed a large-scale facility with significant production capacity for weight loss drugs. This lab reported selling hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of such medications to the UK monthly.
The retatrutide injections are believed to be counterfeit versions produced in Chinese laboratories, posing substantial health risks due to unknown manufacturing standards and potential contamination. Medical experts express concern that social media hype is overshadowing warnings about these unregulated substances, potentially encouraging individuals to engage in illegal drug distribution. The trend is reportedly seeing personal trainers dealing the drug to clients and even sales occurring outside school gates.
Eli Lilly, the pharmaceutical company developing the legitimate version of retatrutide, also produces Mounjaro. While clinical trial results for retatrutide have shown significant weight loss, often up to a third of body weight, the drug is still undergoing testing and is not licensed for general sale. The unregulated versions available online lack verifiable quality control, leading to uncertainty about their actual contents and potency.
Concerns over side effects have been reported, with online forums detailing issues such as elevated heart rates and menstrual cycle irregularities in young women. The UK's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has received 105 reports of suspected adverse reactions to retatrutide, including one death, though these reports do not confirm causation. Experts warn that users of these illicit injections risk becoming 'lab rats' due to the lack of stringent safety checks.
The MHRA has cautioned the public against the online enthusiasm for retatrutide, with the head of its Criminal Enforcement Unit stating that profit-driven sellers pose serious health risks. Enforcement actions have included raids on facilities producing illegal weight-loss drugs, with over 2,000 unlicensed pens seized in one operation last year.