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Online pharmacies are facing growing criticism over concerns that they are not carrying out sufficient checks before supplying weight loss injections, potentially putting vulnerable patients at serious risk. An investigation by ITV News revealed that individuals with eating disorders, including anorexia and bulimia, have been able to access weight loss injections by entering false information into online assessment forms. In some cases, patients reported being able to repeatedly obtain the drugs without their medical details being properly verified or cross-checked with a GP. Reference: https://www.pharmacymagazine.co.uk/prof ... -1s-online Clinics treating eating disorders have also raised alarm, with many reporting an increase in patients who have used these medications despite being underweight. In some cases even critically underweight individuals were still able to access high-dose injections, raising serious concerns about patient safety. The General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) has said it is “very concerned” by the findings and has requested further evidence to investigate potential breaches. The regulator has already introduced stricter guidance, including requiring video consultations to verify patient information and banning prescriptions based solely on online questionnaires. It has also worked with the Advertising Standards Authority to tackle misleading promotion of weight loss injections. Despite these measures, the investigation suggests that some online providers are still not consistently following proper procedures. Experts warn that without stronger enforcement and more robust identity and health checks, patients will continue to exploit gaps in the system. The issue highlights the risks of relying heavily on self-reported information in digital healthcare, and the urgent need for online pharmacies to prioritise patient safety over convenience. The GPhC is looking further into this matter.

Source: https://www.medical-specialists.co.uk/n ... -patients/