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.

It IS widely available

Monjouro has no shortages

I honestly wouldn't mind if we had to pay for it on the NHS. It could be maybe slightly subsidised but not the usual prescription fee. At least people could then get it safely when they're over a certain bmi but not be turned away just because they don't have a life threatening illness YET.

I think it can be open to abuse. I have seen peoples examples on Facebook and other threads of how they got the drugs without being in the correct BMI category.

I think to make sure the system isn't abused, providers should ask for pictures everytime they sell a pen, full body, standing on scales, even for repeat orders. That way their pharmacists /doctors can track each person and make sure the person is the weight they say they are. People still may be able to cheat the system, but it would be a lot harder to do so.

Maybe even if it needed to get approved initially by your Dr that would help. Possibly with the need to visit your Dr to get your height and weight taken first before getting approved initially. This will definitely stop people with eating disorders /low amount of weight to lose from getting it in the first place.

Describes what? The same misinformation as you? How would he know any better than you if he’s an NHS GP and not a private prescriber of such medication?

I was prescribed Mounjaro. I had to provide photo id, pictures and weight and height for both prescribers (I switched due to price). This was after I had paid. They informed my GP.

I think there is a lot of misinformation being spread about these meds. It’s based on the idea that somehow the fatties are “cheating” or taking the “easy way” out. In reality these drugs are extremely helpful medicines with important health benefits for people who are overweight. There are few side effects.

that not why it bothers you - I can tell because there’s no basis to that in fact. These drugs are being prescribed privately- there’s no evidence anyone with a clinical need is not getting them because other people are. In fact the main issue is that many people with a clinical need are not getting it is because of cost and the fact the NHS won’t usually prescribe these medicines.

Unfortunately many medications can be got inappropriately even when seeing or speaking directly to a prescriber if a patient is prepared to lie.

I have regularly seen women advised online to claim certain symptoms they don't actually have and almost given a script to in order to get particular HRT. Prescribers have to be aware of patients who lie to obtain painkillers, certain antidepressants, Viagra, etc but we all know it is not possible to pick up every one. Obviously, in this case, weight could be checked at a F2F appointment but we have all heard of anorexics wearing several layers of clothes (a friend's DD even put a layer of coins under an insole in her trainers!)
If prescribers are doling these out without proper checks then they can be investigated and disciplined in exactly the same way as GPs and other prescribers are so I hope that it is not widespread, particularly as they can be life-changing for people with obesity

I ordered through bolt pharmacy. They asked for my GP details although I'm unsure if they've contacted them.

I had to send them a full body photo literally head to toe showing my face and not be wearing anything on my head other than glasses if needed. I also had to show them my passport or driving license to confirm I was the person in the photo.

I didn't mind doing any of that to be honest even if I'm self conscious. Proved to me they are making sure they only supply to the actual person and it isn't anyone else's body

The truth is that there are lifesaving drugs available through private pharmacies, which are difficult to obtain through the NHS. Of course, people will try anything to get their hands on these medications. 95% will be legit, 5% won't. And there is a risk of gallbladder disorders and acute pancreatitis. Chemists should, therefore, maintain open communication channels to ensure that any concerns can be addressed immediately and, if required, patients are referred to the appropriate medical services.

In recent years, there have been some society-changing innovations, including generative AI, advanced cancer and Alzheimer's drugs, and now anti-obesity drugs. There is a potential for a complete overhaul of health, society and the economy in ways never seen before. We should seek to utilise these innovations in a way that is most beneficial and safe to everyone; not use individual cases to dismiss the potential.

I've used both Voy and Asda GP online. In both cases I had to send verifiable photo ID (passport or Drivers Licence) plus a full length 'fat fucker photo'. They obviously check you are the same person in both ID photos and fat fucker photos. My friend went through the same with MedExpress. My first (legit!) attempt was rejected because the address on my drivers licence didn't match the address I'd provided first medication delivery! I'd just moved and hadn't yet changed my licence...so I had to do that first and get again.

I think the majority of the providers are pretty thorough 🤷‍♀️

In addition to the passport, full length photo, etc. my supplier originally refused the prescription as their pharmacy system couldn't link to my NHS record. I think it may be because I have an NHS log-in as an employee so I had to send other details to them.
Not all suppliers are cutting corners

I supplied a headless
Pic and weight photo

I'm
Borderline bmi but I carry literally all
My weight on my middle and look
Like a beer swigging m pregnant
Monk

It's awful

I also
Have raised
Cholesterol and a bad
Back but if I went to
My gP
I'd
Be
Refused.

You only have to go on to the injection facebook groups or tiktok to see that these medications are being misused. People are obviously lying to get them and even on this forum people are sharing information about which online pharmacies won't ask for photos or won't inform your GP or even ask their details allowing you to "inform them yourself" we know exactly what is going on there. Lots of people are using them to get skinny i.e. people who are a healthy weight and body fat percentage are using them to drop to a much lower weight, from a size 10 to a size 8 or 6.

There are also lots of people using the medications to help them crash diet i.e. bumping up the dose so that they are able to eat as little possible to lose as much weight as they can in a very short time frame. Never mind that they will be losing significant amounts of muscle, bone and collagen as well as fat, that it could affect their metabolism negatively long term once they come off or that it could open the door to an eating disorder or that those who already have an ED may be tempted to use them with serious consequences.

I worry that the misuse of these medications may lead to their withdrawal so that they are no longer available online at all to anyone. I do think they will become available via the NHS eventually but it is likely that it will take some time before it is something all obese people can access via their GP given that even many diabetics cannot access the medication. GP's usually take some time to catch up to Nice guidance and access is often conditional on lots of things like trying various other treatments first or having other conditions as well as obesity.

I can't get them due to being a lada diabetic even though the insulin I'm on made me put on 7 stone. If I purchased privately and they informed by GP would there be any consequence?

SheMed do an online consult and ask you to step on the scales to show your weight.

If there is a problem with online prescriptions, I’d assume it isn’t restricted to weight loss meds. Funny how no-one cared about the issue before weight loss medication was a thing. If the government want to fix it, they can regulate it better. If the NHS want to stop it, they should provide medication for people who need it. According to NHS Scotland I meet every single criteria for the jabs, but my GP doesn’t prescribe it, I’d have to first go on the waiting list for the NHS Weightloss programme, it’s currently 18 months for your first appointment.

”lots of people”

How many is that?

We should stop people being able to access paracetamol completely as some will misuse it

We should stop people being able to access abortion pills by post completely as some will misuse it

We should stop people being able to access chocolate completely as some will misuse it

We should stop people being able to access alcohol completely as some will misuse it

Where do we stop?

Oushk now do video weight verification calls. You need to show ID and be seen getting on the scales with the weight showing.

All legit pharmacies should be tightening up procedures not just for MJ but all prescription medications. More checks the merrier.

The issue really is that the majority of users have to fund themselves. I asked my GP for support when my BMI was over over 42 and I had other issues but got zilch. Hence I ended up with private prescriptions.

within the next decade weight loss tablets will be as common as statins.

And frankly those people desperate enough to fiddle the system to go from a size 10 to a size 8 or 6 clearly have other issues that need to be addressed

Yeah same! I lied about my weight to get mj and all is fine. I think my provider informs my GP each month that I get the injection. They may tell the gp the weight I claim to be, I don't know! but I expect the GP surgery just files the letters from the online provider away somewhere. I don't even know my GP's name. How r they meant to know whether I'm obese or not... or anything about me!

I've bought from three different suppliers. All accepted the order after I filled in the questionnaires, but called me wanting the following before they would ship:

• Photo ID (passport or driving licence)
• Video call showing me stepping on scales (one had to be taken by a third party)
• Full length photo standing next to height scale
• Full length photo from the front (to be updated every three months)
• Evidence of previous prescriptions

They all sent letters to the GP after every order. I doubt the GP knows of all the checks they do as they just receive the letter, but as far as I'm aware these are the regulations prescribers need to follow now or their license is at risk.

I got them from one of the reputable suppliers, Juniper, by providing my stats and a headless photo - that’s it. No ID or anything required. Declined my dr being informed and had a bmi of 28 which I was truthful about, no comorbidities. I’ve also only had about two messages from them since December asking how I’m doing.

Have now changed to oushk bc they’re cheaper and as of last week all they asked for was ID, a full body shot and proof of my prescription from Juniper. No video call. I now have a bmi of 22 and they have accepted me as a maintenance customer and seem happy to prescribe the doses I want.

It would be pretty easy to get WLI’s when you don’t need them but isn’t that the same of any drug? I am prescribed strong Triptans for my migraines but am easily able to order them from an online pharmacy if I want more, which I do bc my drs surgery will only allow me 6 pills per month which can be easily used up with one migraine and I often need more than that.

People can abuse any drug or simply mitigate the risks themselves and take drugs they’ve bought online that they know they won’t be prescribed by their dr.

People not getting WLI’s on the nhs is irrelevant to the point you are trying to make. There is no shortage of these drugs, the nhs just won’t/can’t afford to prescribe them for free yet so people need to pay. Frankly, and this may be an unpopular view, but if I was life threateningly overweight I would find the money to pay for these jabs privately- you can get them for as little as £25 per week with the cheaper providers and if you chop and change each month to whomever has the best offer. If you really wanted them you’d buy less food/booze and get MJ instead 🤷‍♀️

Mj is one of the most incredible discoveries made in this generation. It's up there with vaccines for improving the health of the population. I suspect in the next generation taking something similar will be completely normal and we'll all be a lot healthier for it https://news.sky.com/story/weight-loss-jabs-could-almost-halve-risk-of-obesity-related-cancers-beyond-slimming-down-study-suggests-13366443

They're not going to ban one of the most successful health interventions, that's barely costing the nhs a penny, because eejits are currently getting it illegally.

I don't think there is anything wrong with people gaming the system to get it when they have been overweight for years and unable to shift it but not over BMI 30. I imagine that it will soon be available for anyone BMI 25+ anyway.

I had started to get high BP at BMI 29 so could take it legitimately. BP went back to my usual normal/low after a few weeks. I'm now at BMI 25 and am allowed to take it until BMI 23. Then I'll start weaning myself off it. I've had very few side effects and have found it extremely beneficial and effective.

I have to supply passport or driving license as well as current front and side facing photos.

The posters who said it’s impossible to get without the proper checks are wrong. I also don’t think it’s a big secret that it’s very easy to get by telling a few lies. I meet the criteria for it but I have two friends who are on it, one who’s overweight not obese and one who’s not even overweight. Both used real photos of themselves - one held 20kg weights for the photo of the scales and one told them she was 3 inches shorter. Both had no trouble getting them and from places like Asda and Boots. Many, many people who aren’t obese are on it and obtained it from reputable pharmacies. They just don’t tell anyone. I don’t think it’s a big deal. They are adults. What I do think is really stupid is people I’ve heard of who’s bmi is near 30 who think they can’t get hold of it and actively try and put on weight to get them to a bmi of 30 so they’ll be eligible. That seems unsafe and ridiculous, especially when plenty of people who started on it with a bmi of 30 are allowed to continue taking it when they’ve got down to a bmi of 23 or something. Why not just prescribe it for anyone with a bmi of 25+??
What does seem concerning is people with eating disorders can also easily obtain it - either by using photos of someone else or photoshopping their own. It’s very easy if you know how