You *can* get them w/o proper checks

[CharlotteBog]

I was told I was 'spreading misinformation' on a different thread when I stated that it was easy enough to get weight loss injections online if you lied your way through the questions, and people with eating disorders would easily be able to get hold of them.

I stood corrected because I thought once I got to the payment screen I would just be sent the injections, but was told that no, it would be verified by a doctor, they would communicate with my own GP etc.

I have just been listening to The World at One where an NHS GP describes exactly what I said.

Asda doctor didn't consult my gp

And even if they did, I've not seen or been weighed by my gp for at least 6 years! So they would have no clue of my weight

I think they send communication they are prescribing, same as boots pharmacy do for cystitis meds

That's all

I got them through med express, DH through Asda, both of us had to send in photo ID and a recent picture, ie of us looking as fat as the matching BMI we supplied. So no, I couldn't have gotten them without being overweight.

I think they send a letter to your doctors telling them they are prescribing the injections to you, its not to get information from them. The place you buy them from issues the prescription based on the information you provide.

Who would know if the pics were of someone else?

I got mine from medexpress. I had to send a full length picture and photo ID (I sent my passport). They have also sent a letter to my GP, though this was after I'd received my 1st pen. Unfortunately I don't think all the online pharmacies do this so it is very possible to lie to get them. Somebody I know was saying 2 of her friend who are way below BMI 30 are currently getting ozempic

I had to send photos and my GP was notified. However, I'm sure that by faking photos or holding a heavy bag when stepping on scales, it's possible to obtain the medication without meeting the requirements.

An initial face-to-face consultation is a good idea, though it would likely be challenging in more remote/rural areas.

Purely cost vs benefit --

Risk: some people's BMI gets too low.

Benefit: most people obtain a healthy BMI (with benefits for society/NHS as a whole, too).

I believe people with eating disorders will always find ways to not eat and need better mental health support. This should not mean that the chance to lose weight should be taken away from obese people. Hopefully, freeing up more NHS resources will mean we can properly reinvest in our mental health services.

Yes, this is what I'm saying. If someone really wants the med they will lie. You can send a photo of any one.
Only if they consult your actual GP or see you in person will they know.

If it wasn't so much money I'd be tempted to see if could get it and expose the problem.

I'm not sure I'd consider 'being able to obtain medication without meeting all requirements' the core of the problem; it's a signal though.

The root cause are other problems, for which solutions can be found:

• Some people feel the need to lie to obtain medication to lose weight -- why is that? Are the requirements too strict? What can be done to help these people, perhaps without medication?
• Some people are not following the guidelines when it comes to taking these meds, double dosing, whatever they are doing -- Other than informing people of their responsibility to read the leaflets and understand how it needs to be taken, what else can we do? (Mind you, this is true for any medication, not just weight loss)
• Some people may use these medications to support their unhealthy eating habits, perhaps due to eating disorders. What can we do to better support these people, so they will not look for ways to eat (even) less?

Why @CharlotteBog

Why would you want to expose it? Journo?

https://www.theguardian.com/society/article/2024/jun/13/top-doctor-warns-against-using-anti-obesity-drugs-to-get-beach-body-ready

This relies on your GP practice looking at your notes to see how much you are likely to weigh based on your records....

I agree with you, but the vast majority of the healthcare system relies on honesty. How much do you drink? How much do you smoke? Are you really in the pain you're describing? The list is endless.

I'm not really sure what your point is?

Ha no, I'm not a journalist.

I guess I was a bit annoyed that I was put in my place by a number of posters who insisted that it was not possible to get hold of it unless you met the criteria. It was on another thread.

That's true enough. It bothers me because people with a higher clinical need are unable to get the meds.
I was told that I was spreading misinformation.

Because they have to match your photo ID

As an ED sufferer I am ashamed to say I did look into it. I'm very underweight and it would be extremely dangerous. I was relieved to say I saw it said they would have to flag it with my GP. Obviously the GP would never allow it and it would possibly trigger an intervention and inpatient treatment.
I'm sure if someone was determined they could go black market but the legit sites seem hot on running it through the right channels. I guess if you had not presented with ED or been weighed for many years then you could slip through the net. But hopefully it's unlikely. Saying you weigh many stone more than you actually do rightly should raise red flags.

Sadly, not every pharmacy asks for photo ID or informs your GP. They are definitely being misused which could be an argument for them to be avaliable only through a GP and under medical supervision. A lot of people are missing the point of what these drugs are for. They have a place for weightloss but it should be for health reasons not to get into bikini!!! I started with a BMI over 40, my goal is to improve my health and not end up with type 2 diabetes like my mum and grandmother!!

boots have never asked for a photo or ID when i have ordered we govy - they have told my GP as i only found out as it was on a record of repeat prescriptions

That's weird - when you set up the boots online doctor account before your first prescription it should have asked for photo ID + a photo? For the repeats it doesn't ask it, just the current weight, but the first one (at least for me + everyone I've compared to!) it did. We all swapped the hideous photos 😂

@determinedtomakethiswork

Nope!

Your photo of body can be headless!

And what ID???

I've not provided any.....

With respect, you’re not “exposing” a problem. It is well known that you can procure them without full medical checks, I personally used wegovy for 3+ months. Bought them online, opted out of them writing to inform my GP (this is optional but even if it wasn’t, you think GPs are monitoring this? Like they have the time….), rounded up my weight by 7lbs and knocked my height down by 1.5 inches which gave me a BMI of 30, my actual BMI was 27.5.

It is widely known that the levels of “checks” varies massively and even if you do have to provide a photo, it’s easy to look fat in a photo and also anyone could use AI tech to inflate a normal photo of yourself that matches your passport - literally free software online to do such things or filters etc.

It’s very easy to get hold of these drugs but they aren’t the cause of anorexia, ok they could be misused but then so could laxatives or carb blockers, fat binders etc. If someone wants to self harm via food restriction they will.

It's no different to other drugs obtained from online pharmacy though is it? There are checks and balances and it's unlikely you can obtain it if not meeting criteria but some people still manage. Just like some people go along to their GP/A&E lie and get meds

With respect, you’re not “exposing” a problem. It is well known that you can procure them without full medical checks

It's fine, you can tell me how it is.
I was obviously on a thread where it was not well known and I was accused of spreading misinformation. People were getting quite defensive.

It's OK - I think this thread serves no purpose, apart from reminding me that a single thread on MN is just that, and not representative of anything

If the NHS weight loss service was fit for purpose, the people who do actually benefit from the medication and who do follow the rules for obtaining the medication, would be seen by their GP or an obesity consultant. The medication could be restricted to person to person prescribing either in an NHS setting or privately for those who get their healthcare that way.

There will always be people who try to cheat an online system. If people who take it without meeting the criteria suffer negative effects, that's on them. The problem will be if this results in a clampdown which prevents those who do need the medication from getting it.

There are far more obese people who desperately need this medicine and can't get it prescribed, than there are people getting it to support an eating disorder.
All this proves is that it should be widely available on the NHS and then folk wouldn't have to resort to scamming the system to get it.