UK unable to tackle weight-loss drug black market, MP warns

The UK medicines regulator does not have the resources to tackle the black market for fake weight loss pills, an MP has claimed.

Layla Moran, chair of the health and social care committee, issued the warning following the approval last month of Wegovy oral pills, which experts fear could lead to the mass production of counterfeit medicines.

While the Liberal Democrat welcomed licensed drugs to hit shelves within weeks, he said there was “reason to worry that a black market for stronger, dangerous pills could emerge”.

he said Independent: “The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) must be prepared to counter this threat, but we have little confidence that it has the resources and powers it needs to disrupt the massive illicit trade currently prevalent on social media platforms.

“The agency recently told us it only has a team of six people scanning the internet and responding to tips, and that social media companies are not responding as strongly as they should.”

The UK’s first GLP-1 pill for weight loss will be available exclusively on prescription this summer, and later via the NHS.

MPs and doctors have voiced fears about fake semaglutide tablets, saying they would be easier to counterfeit and access than weight-loss injections.

Data from January revealed more than 6,500 fake or unlicensed weight loss injections had been seized in the UK in the last three years.

Nearly two in five pharmacies encountered patients who unknowingly purchased counterfeit weight-loss medications in the past 12 months, according to an April survey by the National Board of Pharmacy Association (NPA).

The MHRA’s chief security officer, Dr. Alison Cave said “further investment is required to stay ahead of these threats and continue to protect the public”.

He added: “Despite the growing threat of this dangerous trade, we work tirelessly every day to protect the public from counterfeit medicines.

“Just a few weeks ago we stopped thousands of doses of unsafe weight loss medications from reaching the public in our largest seizure ever.”

Conservative MP Joe Robertson, who sits on the health and social care committee, said he was concerned about the production of counterfeit pills and believed measures should be taken to prevent counterfeit pills being sold.

He said: “The government needs to be proactive and understand that licensing something is just one step.”

Mr Robertson called for more education on “scams” before the drug is launched.

“Healthcare professionals have a role to play in this, educating people that not everything that is presented as a wonder drug is a wonder drug and that people need to be very careful and cautious about how they access drugs, pills.”

He added that the drug plays a “valuable and important” role as it reduces pressure on the NHS and its services by tackling obesity.

Asked about the threat at a committee meeting, public health minister Sharon Hodgson said: “This is something we need to be ready for.”

Founder of The Weight Care Clinic, Dr. Nadia Ahmad said: “Whenever there is a demand for a medicine, we automatically see an increase in counterfeit production.”

He said counterfeit oral Wegovy pills were a “real concern” because they would be easier to create, distribute and access, and harder to test than injections.

“So it’s really easy to make a counterfeit product, to sell it on the black market, in gyms, in places where we see a lot of counterfeit injections being sold, and on social media, so that’s actually a huge concern.”

In the worst case, he said, people could die from taking counterfeit pills.

“There’s always an element of death involved in taking any medication you know nothing about. We don’t know what’s in these medications unless they’re dispensed, made or administered by a healthcare professional.”

A spokesperson for the MHRA added: “We work closely with law enforcement partners, other regulators and customs authorities both in the UK and internationally to support medicines legislation and disrupt criminal supply chains.

“We are also collaborating with industry to combat the online sale of illegally trafficked medicines and deliver public health messaging aimed at reducing both supply and demand.

“We will continue to be vigilant against emerging threats related to unauthorized and counterfeit weight loss products and will take appropriate enforcement action when necessary to protect public health.”