Regulators will tighten eligibility criteria for weight loss jabs such as Wegovy and Ozempic as part of a crackdown on inappropriate prescriptions.
Online pharmacies will no longer be able to dispense weight loss jabs based on online questionnaires and photos alone. In-person or video consultations will now be required to verify a patient’s body mass index (BMI). Additionally, they will need to submit information from their medical record or doctor.
The new guidance will also apply to other high-risk medications such as antimicrobials, laxatives and opioids.
Duncan Rudkin, chief executive of the GPhC, said: ‘The message of this updated guidance is clear. Online pharmacies should only supply a medicine if the prescriber has had an appropriate consultation with the person, and has made sure they have all the necessary information to check if that medicine is safe and suitable for them.
‘For high-risk medicines, online pharmacies need to put even more safeguards in place, including always independently verifying the information provided by the person before supplying that medicine.’
‘Too many cases of medicines being supplied inappropriately’
Pharmacists who do not follow these guidelines could face enforcement action from the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC). This would initially take the form of an improvement action plan, but could lead to restriction of prescribing powers, suspension of a pharmacy or fitness to practise proceedings against individuals.
Duncan Rudkin added: ‘We know online pharmacy services can provide a very valuable service, but through our inspections and investigations, we’ve seen too many cases of medicines being supplied inappropriately online and putting people at risk.
‘Our inspectors will continue to inspect online pharmacies and will be looking for evidence that pharmacies are meeting our standards. We will also continue to work closely with other regulators in response to concerns and issues, and take action when needed.’
In 2023, The Guardian found that online pharmacies were prescribing weight loss jabs to people of a healthy weight. As information was provided through an online form, patients were able to obtain the prescription by lying about their BMI. In one case, a patient was given the prescription despite reporting a healthy BMI of around 20.
What is the health impact of weight loss jabs?
A recent study found that weight loss jabs were associated with reduced risk of dementia and seizures. However the findings also showed an increased risk of gastrointestinal disorders, hypotension, syncope, arthritic disorders, nephrolithiasis, interstitial nephritis and drug-induced pancreatitis.
Weight loss jabs such as Wegovy, Ozempic are medicines called GLP-1RAs originally developed to treat type 2 diabetes. They work by mimicking a hormone called GLP-1 which is released by the stomach when it is full. This has several effects:
- Helping the body to make more insulin (the hormone that controls blood sugar) when needed
- Reducing the amount of sugar (glucose) produced by the liver
- Slowing down the digestion of food, so that it takes longer for the body to absorb sugar from meals
- Reducing appetite.
Follow Dentistry.co.uk on Instagram to keep up with all the latest dental news and trends.