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AIBU?

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Black market WLIs

34 replies

bridgetreilly · 14/05/2026 14:19

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cm2pvl56l72o

Would you support a move that said they can only be prescribed in-person, not online? I’m not sure how we can stop idiots buying things completely off license from non-medical professionals, but at least if online pharmacy prescriptions were stopped, there would be fewer underweight people getting them.

A generic image of a person standing on a pair of silver weight scales. You can see their bare legs and feet.

'I nearly died after buying weight loss jab from friend of friend'

A woman is warning others of the dangers of unregulated jabs after one dose of a black market pen.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cm2pvl56l72o

OP posts:
MrsTerryPratchett · 14/05/2026 14:52

Unfortunately EDs are the most fatal MH disorders. You don’t change an entire system that works and is probably preventing 1000s of premature deaths, to stop a few tragic deaths that wouldn’t be prevented anyway.

You’re banging a nail in with a sausage.

Onefairfish · 14/05/2026 14:51

No. How would it stop someone buying them from unauthorised sources?

Backedoffhackedoff · 14/05/2026 14:37

No because I don’t think it an effective solution to the problem you describe

Binus · 14/05/2026 14:37

No.

It would prevent some people who need WLIs from being able to access them, as any barriers do, and the black market won't stop existing as people will just bring them in from abroad.

I don't share your confidence that it'd mean fewer underweight people getting them. Anyone who buys whilst they fit prescription criteria but sells them on could also still do that anyway.

AlphaApple · 14/05/2026 14:33

This is not a story about WLIs, this is about criminals exploiting foolish and vulnerable people.

WLIs are acting as clickbait in the headline. It could easily be “Criminals kill and injure women with fake prescription drugs”.

Ineedanewsofa · 14/05/2026 14:30

The legit online pharmacies are red hot on making sure they are prescribing within the regulations so it wouldn’t make a difference, except maybe to drive more people to black market, potentially very unsafe products

BoredandAnnoyed · 14/05/2026 14:28

Buying in person isn't going to stop people from buying black market drugs, though, is it? If that worked, no one would be buying pain killers or valium or a million other drugs from illegal dealers and sellers online.

MaCheCazzo · 14/05/2026 14:26

This woman had an eating disorder. She already went outside of the law to obtain the WLI so I can't imagine that a ban on online ordering would have stopped her. Surely she'd have just got a qualifying friend to do it for her?

SilenceInside · 14/05/2026 14:23

This is nothing to do with online prescriptions, this woman bought the medication from a friend, she didn’t get it prescribed to her via an online pharmacy. I don’t see how making people have an in person appointment would stop them passing the medication on like this?

Do you want all online prescriptions stopped for all medications or just this one type?

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