Health leaders issue weight loss jab warning after Selby woman hospitalised
Health leaders in East and North Yorkshire have issued a weight loss jab warning after a woman was hospitalised.
A woman from Selby received treatment in intensive care after using a ‘weight loss jab’ allegedly sourced from a North Yorkshire-based salon.
Two other people are known to have also become unwell.
North Yorkshire Police were notified by health professionals, and an investigation is under way.
The woman has since been discharged, but the incident has prompted health leaders in North Yorkshire and the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) to warn people of the risks of using weight loss medicines bought from private clinics or online.
They said buying products from unregulated suppliers “significantly increases the risk of getting a product which is either falsified or not licensed for use in the UK and can pose a direct danger to health”.
NHS Humber and North Yorkshire Integrated Care Board (ICB) Chief Pharmacy Officer, Laura Angus, said: “There has been a lot of attention in the media and on social media about these so-called ‘skinny jabs’, but as with any medicines bought outside of legitimate supply chains, the contents may not match the ingredients on the label.
“If you use such products you could be putting your health at serious risk.
“If you are thinking of buying a weight-loss medicine, please talk to a healthcare professional first. The only way to guarantee you receive a genuine weight-loss medicine is to obtain it from a legitimate pharmacy – including those trading online – using a prescription issued by a healthcare professional.
“We would also advise patients to check the legitimacy of the pharmacy and ensure it is regulated with the GPhC – each pharmacy premises has a registration number that can be checked easily with the GPhC at www.pharmacyregulation.org/.”
Andy Morling, the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency’s Deputy Director of Criminal Enforcement, said: “Weight loss medicines are powerful medications and should only be used under the supervision of a qualified healthcare professional.
“Public safety is our top priority, and our Criminal Enforcement Unit works tirelessly with partners to prevent, detect and investigate illegal activity involving medicines and medical devices.
“Buying so-called weight loss medicines from illegal suppliers significantly increases the risk of receiving products that are either falsified or not licensed for use in the UK. Products purchased in this way will not meet the MHRA’s strict quality and safety standards, and taking such medicines may put one’s health at risk.”