Semiglutide from a Vial - Is this legal?

[MsTinWales]

Like many others, I am reeling from the MJ price increases and looking at alternatives. A local beauty salon provides weekly injections from a vial (each client purchases their own and it is stored for them at the salon). Considering how strict MM were when prescribing MJ this is ringing alarm bells!

Is this even legal? Personally I would not go down this route, but I do understand how desperate some people may be to continue to get hold of this life changing medication.

I don't see how it could be legal. They are surely not licensed to sell weight loss drugs.

No it’s not legal. Wegovy/Ozempic is only supplied in the UK in branded self injecting pens. Anything else is not legit and could be anything. It also must be prescribed, a beautician cannot legally prescribe anything. So, I would report this salon to the relevant authorities.

It is neither legal nor safe. Personally I would report before they harm someone.

You have no idea what is in those vials. Please, don't end up doing a sad face interview with a newspaper because you ended up in hospital after paying for fake weightloss jabs!

As a PP says, she should be reported.

The common thread in many of those newspaper reports of people who ended up in hospital from taking "mounjaro" or "ozempic" is that they bought it from their hairdresser/nail tech/botox lady, and that it came in little vials or bottles. And it always turns out to be fake or cut with some other substance. I wouldn't touch it with a barge pole.

Can you switch to Wegovy? It's been shown to be pretty much as effective as Mounjaro over the long term, and doesn't have as many side effects as Ozempic. I don't think it's as effective immediately which is why everyone has been starting off on MJ and seeing quicker results at the front end but then dropping off so apparently the studies show that over eg. 6-12 months, Wegovy is just as good, just slower and steadier.

I wonder where it is sourced from? A quick google brought up nothing. Going to call local trading standards. I understand the desperation, but this is so dangerous.

Yes, that's my plan when I have finished my last two pens.

You can also report to the MHRA, details on how to do that here:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/contact-mhra#report-problems-with-medicinesor-medical-devices

Wegovy and ozempic are the exact same medication and they have the exact same side effect profile, The only difference is the amount of medication in the pens. There's no point in switching to wegovy hoping for fewer side effects.

From random internet retailers. A google search for ‘semaglutide vial’ will find loads. Could be anything in the vial of course, hopefully just saline.

@persianfairyfloss ah I was under the impression that one was a lower dose in the pen so had fewer side effects but I might have been mistaken. So ignore me on that OP.

Anyway - vials from the hairdresser are definitely a bad idea no matter what!!

Stored for them at the salon?? Ha. That just screams they are using the same vial for anyone..
There was a story of similar purchase and it was out of date insulin they were injecting.
I'm a risk taker usually but this is a risk I wouldn't take.. glad to hear your reporting it.

Wegovy is the original name of the drug, licensed and used for diabetes.
Ozempic is the name of the same drug but is licensed and used for weight loss, It has different packaging and a different dosing structure.

Ozempic is the original drug that was developed for diabetes. When they realised there was a market for it as a weightloss drug, they brought out wegovy.

Thanks for this - that is the route I will take.

@MagnoliaTreePetals other way round actually!

I stand corrected! 😀