With demand for slimming injections soaring across the UK, a darker trend is emerging: the market is now awash with fake weight loss medications posing serious risks to health.
That’s the stark warning from Niamh McMillan, a pharmacy superintendent sounding the alarm over the growing presence of counterfeit weight loss treatments being sold online and via backdoor channels.
“We are increasingly concerned about the rise in counterfeit weight loss medication being sold online and through unregulated channels,” says McMillan. “These products may fail to deliver the intended results or could pose serious health risks, including allergic reactions, infections, or exposure to harmful substances.”
The rise in fake weight loss medications isn’t just a nuisance—it’s a clear and present danger. Knock-off drugs are turning up in unlabelled syringes, misprinted packaging, and devices that bear more resemblance to black market science experiments than regulated medical tools.
So what should you be looking out for?
Spot the Signs: How to Identify Counterfeit Medication
According to McMillan, there are several key red flags:
1. Packaging Errors
“Counterfeit products often have subtle, or obvious, packaging flaws,” she says. Misspellings, faded printing, dodgy fonts, or missing safety seals could all indicate the product didn’t come from a regulated pharmacy.
“Genuine products from manufacturers follow strict quality control standards, so any variation in packaging appearance could be a warning sign of counterfeit medication.”
2. Missing or Incorrect Labelling
Proper weight loss medications always include full labelling: name, strength, expiry date, batch number, and the manufacturer’s details.
“Counterfeit versions may lack this information or include incorrect or misaligned text. Always check for a readable lot number and expiration date that match those on the outer box and the weight loss pen itself.”
3. Wrong Delivery Devices
Think you’re getting a sleek injection pen? Think again. If it arrives in a vial, loose syringe, or anything unbranded, you may be holding a fake.
“Weight loss services medication come as branded, prefilled injection pens designed for easy, self-administered dosing,” McMillan explains. “Always verify the pen design with your pharmacy.”
4. No Prescription Required
This one’s simple. If someone offers to sell you weight loss injections without a prescription, run the other way.
“Any seller offering these medications without a prescription, especially through social media or messaging apps, may be operating illegally and the integrity of the product should be questioned.”
Stick to Trusted, Regulated Services
For those ready to take control of their health, McMillan stresses the importance of using regulated clinical services with qualified professionals.
“If you have any doubts about the authenticity of your medication, please speak to a pharmacist or healthcare professional before using it. Your safety must always come first.”
As part of that, she highlights accessible support through online or in-store weight loss services. These include consultations with trained healthcare providers, assessments of BMI and blood pressure, and guidance through treatment options—all of it prescription-based, all of it above board.
Whether you choose to consult online or prefer face-to-face support through one of the many Health Clinics, the path to safe, sustainable weight loss is one paved with professionalism, not promises made in a DM.
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In short? If it smells dodgy, it probably is. Don’t gamble your health on a bargain.
