'The Ozempic Pandemic': How effective are the UK's current regulations for weight loss injections?

The Drastic Shift in Beauty Trends

According to Vogue, the 2010s were dubbed ‘the Era of the Big Booty’, with celebrities like Kim Kardashian and Cardi B opting for ‘curvier bodies’ through Brazilian butt lift (BBL) procedures.[1] In theory, the surgery offers a dual benefit: it not only slims down certain areas of the body, but also redistributes the  extracted fat to enhance volume in other body parts, creating a more proportionate silhouette.[2] Due to its appeal and effectiveness, approximately 400,000 people worldwide underwent BBL procedures in 2021 alone to keep up with prevailing beauty standards.[3]

Source: Unsplash

BBLs are OUT, Ozempic is IN

Yet, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, wellness culture has become prominent, prompting many to prioritise health through exercise and diets.[4] While maintaining health is undeniably essential, some individuals have taken this trend to the extreme. Rather than embracing sustainable dietary and fitness changes, they have sought after weight-loss drugs like Ozempic as easy shortcuts to achieve their fitness goals.[5]

Pros of Weight Loss Injections

Unlike a BBL procedure, weight loss injections such as Ozempic and Wegovy were originally invented as medical treatment for type 2 diabetic patients rather than cosmetic purposes.[6]  In a research study on US diabetic veterans by the Nature Medicine, participants using Ozempic or Wegovy experienced remarkable improvements in terms of heart health, mental wellbeing and reduced risk of substance abuse.[7]  These benefits stem from semaglutide, the active ingredient in both drugs, which informs the brain that ‘there is food in the stomach’ by ‘travelling through the blood and sticking to brain cells’.[8] The effectiveness of these drugs is evident in cases like Ray, who began weekly injections of Wegovy since last July and managed to lose 14 kg by Christmas through a suppressed appetite.[9] Consequently, similar diabetic patients may find these medications helpful in achieving weight loss more efficiently.[10] Beyond individual benefits, the widespread use of these injections can also ease the financial burden on the UK healthcare system, with obesity rates having doubled over the past 30 years, costing the NHS more than £11bn annually.[11]

Source: Unsplash

Cons of Weight Loss Injections

Nevertheless, experts have emphasised that these jabs must be paired with lifestyle changes for noticeable results, which is something that many individuals neglect when they purchase the drugs privately for aesthetic purposes.[12] Like any medication, these injections come with potential side effects, ranging from constipation to pancreas inflammation in extreme cases.[13] Hence, they should be prescribed to diabetic patients with caution and care, instead of being regularly distributed to ‘normal’ individuals seeking for a quite fix. Despite this, the high demand for these injections has created new loopholes for fraudsters. In 2023, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency found 369 fraudulent Ozempic pens circulating in the UK black markets.[14] Some unsuspecting users experienced severe side effects, including ‘comas and hypoglycaemic shocks’.[15] leading to hospitalisations. Since these unlicensed pens often contain undisclosed substances, they pose serious health risks.[16]  Therefore, members of the public are advised not to purchase the products illegitimately to avoid putting their lives at risk.[17]

Source: iStock

The UK’s Current Response

For better or worse, the rise in wellness culture has reinforced the pursuit for health, with many equating health to thinness. Henceforth, the demand for weight loss injections has soared to unprecedented heights, straining the NHS due to their limited availability.[18] Although most weight-loss drugs are accessible  through hospitals, obtaining them remains a challenge.[19] One example can be seen from the Guy’s clinic, a specialist clinic which reported that it could accommodate 3000 out of 130,000 eligible diabetic patients for the injections.[20] Professor Sattar further highlighted the financial strain, warning that treating all 3.4 million eligible patients would ‘bankrupt the NHS’.[21] The disparity particular impacts lower-income communities, where obesity rates are ‘the highest’,[22] leaving many diabetic patients unable to access the drugs that were designed for them.[23]  

In response, the UK government has gradually taken steps to alleviate the shortage of weight-loss injections. To prevent further misallocation, public authorities have cracked down on counterfeit Ozempic pens, banning their private sale.[24] Additionally, a new weight-loss drug called Mounjaro was approved for treating obesity in December 2024 following clinical trials,[25] with patients reportedly losing 6% more  body weight in a shorter period of time compared to Wegovy,[26] making it a promising alternative..

Certainly, with Mounjaro set to launch in April 2025, the extent of its side effects remains unknown.[27]  Furthermore, introducing another option of weight-loss injections does not resolve the extreme supply shortages that have persisted since 2023.[28] Thus, the National Pharmacy Association (NPA) has called for stricter regulations on the online sale of weight-loss injections. They propose mandatory patient consultations and thorough medical history examination before prescriptions are issued.[29] This is especially significant in the NHS’s upcoming rollout of Mounjaro, as patients are exposed to another form of ‘high-risk medicine’, posing another risk to their safety. Currently, the regulations in the UK do not adequately inform patients about the risks of consuming these weight-loss drugs, allowing them to qualify for prescriptions simply by completing online questionnaires.[30] By engaging in a ‘two-way consultation’ that considers the patient’s particular medical history and needs, the supply of weight-loss jabs can be controlled, ensuring those with the most urgent requirements receive priority access.

Source: Unsplash

Conclusion

Driven by the change in societal norms, beauty standards have shifted toward thinness, driving many to chase after weight-loss drugs in pursuit of acceptance, fuelling what has been dubbed the ‘Ozempic Pandemic’. While the UK has made significant regulatory strides to address the unprecedented demand for weight-loss drugs, including banning the private sale of Ozempic and the authorisation of Mounjaro, further improvements are needed. Nick Kaye, the chairman of the NPA, emphasises the delicate nature of medicines should distinguish them from ‘ordinary goods for sale: they must be handled with great care because they have the power to harm as well as to heal’.[31] For this reason, stricter regulations such as a two-way consultation before prescription are recommended. By implementing such safeguards, resources can be better allocated to diabetic patients, who are the intended recipients of these medications, improving their access to essential treatment.

Source: Adobe Stock

[1] Brogan Driscoll, ‘Dear Vogue, Big Bums Aren’t Back in Fashion, a Body Part Isn’t a Passing Trend’ (HuffPost UK, 12 September 2014) < https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/brogan-driscoll/vogue-bums-fashion_b_5809514.html> accessed 1 February 2025

[2] Centre for Surgery, ‘Brazilian Butt Lift Statistics 2014’ (Centre for Surgery, 12 January 2024) < https://centreforsurgery.com/brazilian-butt-lift-statistics/> accessed 1 February 2025

[3] ibid.

[4] Michelle Santiago Cortés, ‘Could Thin Be in Again?’ (The Cut, 27 October 2022) <https://www.thecut.com/2022/10/internet-thin-culture-is-back.html > accessed 1 February 2025

[5] ibid.

[6] James Gallagher, ‘Weight-loss drugs may boost health in many ways’ (BBC News, 20 January 2025) <https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c9d5pq4y5wpo> accessed 1 February 2025

[7] ibid.

[8] ibid.

[9] ibid.

[10] ibid.

[11] Fergus Walsh,’ ‘I feel blessed to get weight-loss jab’- but can the NHS afford it for all?’ (BBC News, 13 January 2025) < https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/clyn92j4nn2o> accessed 1 February 2025

[12] ibid.

[13] Fergus Walsh, ‘‘I feel blessed to get weight-loss jab’- but can the NHS afford it for all?’ (BBC News, 13 January 2025) < https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/clyn92j4nn2o> accessed 1 February 2025

[14] Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, Department of Health and Social Care and Will Quince, ‘MHRA warns of unsafe fake weight loss pens’ (Gov.UK, 26 October 2023) <https://www.gov.uk/government/news/mhra-warns-of-unsafe-fake-weight-loss-pens> accessed 1 February 2025

[15] ibid.

[16] ibid.

[17] ibid.

[18] Fergus Walsh, ‘‘I feel blessed to get weight-loss jab’- but can the NHS afford it for all?’ (BBC News, 13 January 2025) < https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/clyn92j4nn2o> accessed 1 February 2025

[19] ibid.

[20] ibid.

[21] ibid.

[22] ibid.

[23] ibid.

[24] Robbie Puddick, ‘Can you get Ozempic on the NHS?’ (Second Nature, 28 August 2024) < https://www.secondnature.io/blog/ozempic-nhs> accessed 1 February 2025

[25] Diabetes UK, ‘What is Mounjaro?’ (Diabetes UK, 13 January 20225) < https://www.diabetes.org.uk/about-diabetes/looking-after-diabetes/treatments/tablets-and-medication/glp-1/mounjaro> accessed 1 February 2025

[26] Fergus Walsh, ‘‘I feel blessed to get weight-loss jab’- but can the NHS afford it for all?’ (BBC News, 13 January 2025) < https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/clyn92j4nn2o> accessed 1 February 2025

[27] ibid.

[28] Diabetes UK, ‘What is Mounjaro?’ (Diabetes UK, 13 January 20225) < https://www.diabetes.org.uk/about-diabetes/looking-after-diabetes/treatments/tablets-and-medication/glp-1/mounjaro> accessed 1 February 2025

[29] Hannah Devlin, ‘Increase regulation of online sale of weight-loss jabs, pharmacists say’ (The Guardian, 27 January 2025) < https://www.theguardian.com/science/2025/jan/27/regulation-online-sale-weight-loss-jabs-pharmacists-say> accessed 1 February 2025

[30] ibid.

[31] Hannah Devlin, ‘Increase regulation of online sale of weight-loss jabs, pharmacists say’ (The Guardian, 27 January 2025) < https://www.theguardian.com/science/2025/jan/27/regulation-online-sale-weight-loss-jabs-pharmacists-say> accessed 1 February 2025