Pharmacy leaders warn of weight loss jabs online

The pharmacy guides have issued a new warning about the online sale of weight loss jabs, in which insist that there is still a risk of patient safety.

In a letter to the supervisory authorities, the National Pharmacy Association (NPA) asked for harder rules and added that it was aware that people had previously had eating disorders or their body weight was already low and the medication was wrongly prescribed.

They argue that a two-way consultation with the patient that takes at least 20 minutes is needed instead of relying on online questionnaires to get access to medication such as Wegovy or Mounjaro.

“It is also important to ensure that clinical decisions about injections for weight loss are not influenced by financial goals or incentives,” said Nick Kaye, Chairman of NPA.

The NPA wrote to the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPHC), in which the current rules leave the door open so that medication can be delivered without adequate checks “and the risk of patient safety remains”.

The call takes place under warnings before a boom in demand for weight losses this year, since the ministers are trying to expand the introduction of medication at the NHS.

Mr. Kaye told PA’s news agency: “Obesity is one of the greatest challenges to whom our country and pharmacies look for each other to help patients lose a healthy weight and maintain.

“Weight loss injections can play an important role in the efforts to combat obesity if they are prescribed for patients who need the most urgent support as part of a carefully managed treatment program.

“However, we are concerned that the current regulations enable some patients to access weight loss injections inappropriately, without proper consultation or examination of historical medical records.”

It is estimated that hundreds of thousands of people receive their recipes privately via online pharmacies.

Weight losses, known as GLP-1 receptor agonists, work by reducing cravings.

The NPA has previously asked patients Avoid the purchase of weight loss injections from non -regulated online sellersWho can sell fake drugs.

A person’s medical history should also be examined before the sellers decide whether a weight loss injection should be aligned, and regular reviews must take place, she added.

Ashley Cohen from the National Pharmacy Association said that weight loss -Jabs are intended for people with a BMI of 30 or more and that the increasing number of “concerned fountains” are looking for them as a “lifestyle” medication.

With the BBC breakfast, he warned that the injections can have serious side effects, including stomach shots, nausea and gallstones.

A GPHC spokesman said that he was all pharmacies, including online work, to ensure that the way in which services have provided health, security and well -being of patients and the public.

They added: “We have published guidelines especially for the safe and effective provision of pharmacies in the distance, which we expect in Great Britain to follow online pharmacies.

“We will shortly issue an updated version in which additional protective measures for medication for medication with high risk are presented, including medication that is used for weight management.”