What is at stake
A falsified product may contain too much, too little or none of the stated ingredient, or a different substance altogether. MHRA warnings have described falsified GLP-1 products containing insulin, which can cause dangerously low blood glucose. The danger goes well beyond a medicine that fails to help you lose weight.
A low price does not prove a product is fake, and a high price does not prove authenticity. The supply chain and the regulated people who prescribe and dispense tell you far more than a seller's claims about premium stock or lab testing.
Check the source before the pen
Get a proper prescription and use a regulated dispensing service. Check the pharmacy on the relevant official register and compare its contact details yourself. Be wary of social media sellers, informal resales, add-ons at beauty salons and products supplied without a proper assessment.
Fraudsters copy batch numbers, QR code or photographed certificate. Even when a batch number matches a real product, the item in your hand may not have come from the manufacturer. If you see an official recall or safety alert, ask the dispensing pharmacy what the alert means for you. A seller who profits from brushing the alert aside is the wrong person to ask.
If something looks wrong
Contact the pharmacy before use if you see unexpected packaging, a broken seal, unusual liquid, wrong labelling or anything that differs from your prescription. Keep the product and packaging safe. Do not return the product to an unknown seller or throw anything away before you get advice.
Never taste, inject or otherwise test a suspicious medicine to see whether the medicine works. Feeling fine straight afterwards does not prove the product is safe. If you have already used a product and feel unwell, get medical help and describe the item and its source accurately.
Reporting and follow-up
Report suspected counterfeit or faulty medicines through the right MHRA channels, including Yellow Card where directed. The pharmacy will check its supply records and advise on a replacement. If your payment or identity details were exposed, you may need to report fraud as well.
Keep screenshots, receipts, seller details and photos, but do not publish other people's private information. Your aim is to stop anyone using a doubtful product and to let the authorities investigate. A warning posted online spreads awareness. Keep verified facts apart from suspicions, and contact the people qualified to assess the medicine first.
A genuine product might still be wrong for you
Whether a product is genuine is one question among several. A real medicine might still be out of date, badly stored, prescribed for someone else or unsuitable for your health. Informal resale strips out safeguards, even when the seller says the item came from a registered pharmacy.
Never use someone else's supply to see whether a medicine suits you. A proper consultation and dispensing record give you a traceable product and a named team responsible for your care. You need both when something goes wrong.
Sources
Your own medicine leaflet and prescriber come first. A source from another country does not mean the same rule applies in the UK.
- MHRA: GLP-1 side effects and potential misuse gov.uk
- MHRA: GLP-1 medicines for weight loss and diabetes gov.uk
- MHRA Yellow Card reporting forms yellowcard.mhra.gov.uk
- GPhC: Online pharmacy safeguards for medicine supply pharmacyregulation.org
Spotted something out of date? Report a mistake.