What are the dangers of fake weight loss injections?

Reviewed by Dr Bhavini Shah

As the popularity of weight loss injections rises, so does the availability of fakes. Counterfeit versions of medicated weight loss treatments are being sold through social media and beauty salons nationwide. Using fake weight loss injections can seriously harm your health as you can’t be sure what they contain. 

In this article we’ll look at the dangers of using fake injections, including serious side effects.

What are fake weight loss injections?

Weight loss injections like Mounjaro®, Wegovy® and Saxenda® can help people who meet certain health criteria lose weight. They’ve been shown to be very effective in clinical trials and are even popular with celebrities. Inevitability this means fake versions are often created for profit. Fake medications are often ineffective and at worse dangerous. 

Since January 2023, the MHRA (The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency) have seized almost 400 fake Ozempic® pens. These unlicensed medicines haven’t been through safety testing and don’t always contain safe ingredients. They’re often sold at low prices by people who have no medical training and to people who don’t qualify for weight loss injections in the first place.

What's in counterfeit weight loss injections?

As they’re unregulated there is no way of knowing what is in weight loss injections and how or where they are produced. Lilly, the company who produces Mounjaro® and Zepbound®, have reported that some seized fakes contain bacteria, meaning they’re not sterile and risk exposing users to infection.

The fake injection may contain:

• Incorrect doses of the medication
• The wrong medication
• Multiple medications mixed
• No medication at all
• Bacteria
• Impurities

Not knowing the dosage of the active ingredient can be dangerous and even potentially fatal. In some cases, the injections may not contain any of the active ingredients.

How to spot fake weight loss injections

Without testing the injections in a laboratory, it can be difficult to spot a fake. However, there are a few things to look out for: 

• Is the packaging of a high quality?
• Is the box damaged or flimsy?
• Can you read the information on the box or is the text badly printed?
• Does the box include the brand name, not just the active ingredient?
• Is there a serial number or batch code you can check with the manufacturer?
• Is the liquid in the pen clear and colourless?
• Is the pen broken? Does it have rough edges or loose parts?

If you're in any doubt, don't use or buy the medication - especially if you're not sure where it's come from.

What are the risks of using fake injections for weight loss?

A large part of the demand for black-market injections comes from people who don’t qualify for them. Weight loss treatments are made for people with high BMIs. If you don’t have a BMI of 30 or 27 (with a weight related health condition) then these injections aren't suitable for you.

Licensed and regulated services that prescribe these injections follow strict guidelines to make sure they’re safe. Many providers will check your weight, BMI and ID to make sure treatments are safe for you to use.

Buying fake medication from an unlicensed provider may mean:

• Safety and screening checks are sidestepped
• There's a lack of regulation or testing
• You are given no advice from a doctor or pharmacist
• You have little awareness of side effects or complications
• You don't know how to use the medication properly
• Exact dosage and ingredients are unknown

“It's important to maintain a healthy weight and weight loss medication can help. If you do want to use injections to lose weight, get them from a reputable source who will check it’s safe for you to take.” - Dr Bhavini Shah

Side effects of fake weight loss pens

Weight loss treatments do cause side effects, the most common being nausea. However, because the medication is thoroughly tested the common side effects are known and listed in the patient information leaflet. During a consultation, your doctor or clinician will tell you about side effects and what to do if they occur.

Because you don’t know what you’re injecting into your body when you use fake medication, you don’t know what may happen. A small number of people have been hospitalised after buying injections off the black market. Serious side effects have included coma and hypoglycemic shock. It’s thought the pens contained insulin. 

Where to get weight loss injections

Injections, like Wegovy® and Mounjaro® are only safely available with a prescription. You’ll need to answer some questions online or in-person about your medical history. Often, you’ll need to provide video or photographic evidence of your bodyweight. This means a doctor or pharmacist can make sure they’re safe for you to take.

Make sure you order the treatment from a reputable source, this will unlikely be social media or your local salon. When searching online look out for logos of healthcare associations or regulators (e.g. the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and General Pharmaceutical Council).

These treatments also only available to people who qualify for the treatment. If suitable, online services like Online Doctor can prescribe these treatments. 

I don't qualify for treatment, but want to lose weight

If you want to lose weight but aren’t suitable for weight loss injections, you may be able to use other medications. Making healthy choices and living an active lifestyle can also help.

Small changes such as:

• Eating smaller portions
• Swapping unhealthy snacks for healthier alternatives
• Doing 150 minutes (about 2.5 hours) of moderate-intensity physical activity (i.e. brisk walking, hiking, riding a bike) every week
• Eating more fruits and vegetables
• Choosing to boil or grill food instead of frying

“If you want to lose weight but don’t meet the requirements for weight loss treatments. Lifestyle changes can help you reach your goals.” - Dr Bhavini Shah

Eating disorders and weight loss medications

Some people who want to take weight loss drugs may have an eating disorder or disordered relationship with food.  If you or someone you know is struggling with an eating disorder you can speak to your GP or charities such as Beat Eating Disorders who can support.

Conclusion

When it comes to weight loss injections the main takeaway is to not be drawn in by the low prices. If the offer seems too good to be true it may be that you’re buying a fake. Instead choose services that are regulated and only offer the treatments via a prescription.

References

https://www.forbes.com/sites/ariannajohnson/2024/06/20/what-to-know-about-fake-weight-loss-drugs-as-eli-lilly-warns-about-alleged-mounjaro-zepbound-counterfeiters/
https://investor.lilly.com/news-releases/news-release-details/lilly-warns-patients-about-counterfeit-and-compounded-medicines 
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/mhra-warns-of-unsafe-fake-weight-loss-pens
https://www.beateatingdisorders.org.uk/
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c0qeee33883o