Despite the dangers of illegally obtaining and taking semaglutide, an active ingredient in slimming drugs, many people continue to buy it on the black market without a prescription. BBC Investigations recently discovered the ease of purchasing these dangerous products online. Although semaglutide can help those with severe weight issues, buying these unlicensed products can lead to dangerous and sometimes life-threatening consequences. Supply issues, legal restrictions, and commissioning services that are unavailable in many regions of the UK have led to a booming black market.
Vicky Boyd and other individuals who took fake semaglutide without a prescription suffered terrifying side effects. Boyd started to feel sleepy after injecting herself with semaglutide, and then she began to feel sick, she couldn’t stop being sick, and her back and side began to ache. She knew there was something seriously wrong, so she was hospitalized, where she found that her body was “riddled with toxins,” and her heart rate was around 200. Her kidneys sustained damage as a result of the incident, and she still recalls not being the same even after treatment. Two other people who took semaglutide without a prescription reported nausea, vomiting, and extreme sickness as side effects.
Although some people may believe that purchasing semaglutide on the black market is a quick fix to their weight issues, it is clear that it is not worth the risk. Furthermore, the danger is exacerbated by the fact that these products are circulated and promoted on social media sites such as Facebook, and Serum, the distributor, which owns Facebook, only takes minimal actions to prevent such illegal sales. Professor Oksana Pyzik, a member of the campaign group Fight the Fakes, claimed that the law must be amended, and the social media firms must be held liable.
The danger of acquiring prescription-only drugs illegally is not restricted to semaglutide, according to Dr. Alison Cave, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency’s (MHRA) chief safety officer, who urged people not to purchase prescription-only medicines except through legitimate practices. The MHRA, according to the Department of Health spokesperson, is continuously searching for illicit sellers of medications and aims to take the required regulatory actions. Dr. Paul Evans, a Gateshead GP, confirms that the NHS prescribes Wegovy for weight loss, but commissions only service in certain areas of the country.
Vicky Boyd’s husband, Peter, has shared their experience on Facebook, and he insists that anyone contemplating purchasing semaglutide without a doctor’s prescription should reconsider it. He warned that while they were fortunate, others who tried it on the street may not be as lucky. Social media and illegal medicine supply chains must have more effective guidelines in place to prevent people from jeopardizing their lives recklessly
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