‘Hundreds in hospital with serious reaction to fat loss jabs’ as half a million Brits using injections to shed pounds’
EXPERTS have warned over hundreds rushed to hospital after using weight loss jabs – as half a million Brits now use the injections.
Nearly 400 users have been hospitalised with serious, sometimes life-threatening reactions, to new medications including popular Mounjaro.
As reported by the Mail on Sunday, data from the medicines regulator, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), revealed there’s been a surge in hospitalisations.
When figures were collated in October last year, there had been 279 since the drugs were rolled out in 2019.
But by the end of November, experts and doctors dubbed a 118 spike in numbers “alarming”.
And, the number of suspected side effects reported to the regulator hiked by 19 percent from nearly 15,000 to 17,831 within the same time frame.
The MHRA said reactions include nausea, vomiting, and diarrhoea, which leads to “severe dehydration”.
However, professionals are also witnessing more serious complications including seizures, and pancreatitis.
A small percentage of users have even fallen into comas after going into hypoglycemic shock.
The fat-loss jabs are being used by around half a million Brits at present – but only five per cent have actually be prescribed it.
Doctors will offer the medication to patients who fall into the BMI category of 30 and up.
They claim to help users shed up to 20 per cent of their bodyweight in a short amount of time.
But with just a fraction of UK users having a prescription, experts are concerned increased hospitalisations are a result of Brits taking it without meeting medical requirements.
People are getting their hands on the injections online, through social media, and paying privately.
The MHRA said serious complications such as hypoglycemic shock could be caused by counterfeit jabs.
These “may have contained insulin rather than [Wegovy and Ozempic’s active ingredient] semaglutide”, a spokesperson said.
It is understood Border Force seized 869 “fake” weight loss pens imported for UK consumers in 2023, but many suspect the real figure is a lot higher, the MoS reported.
Tests revealed a number of these illicit pens were laced with illegal drugs including amphetamines and insulin which can be potentially fatal.
‘SERIOUS, LIFE-THREATENING COMPLICATIONS’
On September 4 last year, a Scottish nurse died after taking two low-dose injections of tirzepatide, also known as Mounjaro.
It is thought Susan McGowan, 58, from North Lanarkshire, was the first person in the UK to die after taking a weight-loss jab.
She suffered from multiple organ failure, septic shock and pancreatitis, but “the use of prescribed tirzepatide” was noted as a contributing factor on her death certificate.
Dr Vicky Price, president-elect of the Society for Acute Medicine, said she and other colleagues “are very concerned”.
“We are seeing serious, life-threatening complications,” she added.
The expert warned there needs to be “urgent regulation and control of access” to these drugs.
This sentiment was echoed by Tory MP Greg Stafford, a member of the Commons’ health and social care committee, who said: “We urgently need to tighten the rules”.
Meanwhile Professor David Strain, associate professor in cardiometabolic health at the University of Exeter, who runs a NHS obesity clinic, dubbed the drugs as a “breakthrough”.
But he added: “If you’re already thin, and taking it for cosmetic reasons, the side effects will be amplified and it might cause extreme effects.”
Dr Alison Cave, the MHRA’s chief safety officer, said: “No new safety concerns have been identified in the current data, and we continue close monitoring of these medicines and will communicate safety updates as necessary.
“As the use of the [weight loss drugs] increases, so have the number of Yellow Card reports associated with these medicines.
“It is important to note that Yellow Card reporting rates can be influenced by many factors including increased awareness about a product.”
What are the different fat jabs?
There is one thing all fat jabs have in common — they mimic the hormone (glucagon-like peptide 1) that makes you feel full.
Wegovy is the brand name for the drug semaglutide, also found in Ozempic, approved to treat diabetes.
With Wegovy, you can expect to see 15 per cent weight loss on average. That is a 31lb weight loss for a person weighing 15st, taking them to 12st 11lb.
Dr Aishah Iqbal, a doctor and weight-loss coach who runs mindoverdiets.co.uk, tells Sun Health: “It works by increasing insulin secretion and delays gastric emptying, creating a suppression in appetite.”
Meanwhile, Mounjaro is the brand name for another medication, tirzepatide, and Saxenda contains the active drug liraglutide.
Mounjaro is more effective, reducing weight by 20 per cent. And Saxenda is the least effective, with five per cent weight loss, on average.
Dr Mitra Dutt, a GP from Lloyds Pharmacy Online Doctor, says: “Mounjaro works by activating two hormonal receptors (GIP and GLP-1), which enhance insulin production, improve insulin sensitivity and work to decrease food intake.”
Saxenda, which contains the active ingredient liraglutide, is another weight loss jab that’s been available on the NHS since 2020.
While Mounjaro is hailed as the “King Kong” fat jabs, a new weight loss drug dubbed “Godzilla” looks set to displace it.
Containing the active ingredient retatrutide, slimmers trying the drug lost up to 29 per cent of their weight in less than a year.
By comparison, trial results showed semaglutide, known as Ozempic, could lead to 15 per cent weight loss and tirzepatide, aka Mounjaro, to 23 per cent.
Retatrutide acts on three different receptors in the brain, “turbocharging” calorie burning while dulling hunger pangs.
Existing weight-loss jabs only suppress appetite, whereas the new treatment also speeds up metabolism.
The new drug is still undergoing clinical trials so it’s not yet known if it will be made available on the NHS.
The Sun contacted the Department of Health and the MHRA for comment.
Fat jabs fact vs fiction
By Vanessa Chalmers
IN a world with soaring obesity rates, fat jabs have arrived and taken the world of the rich and beautiful by storm.
The injections have allegedly helped celebrities like Elon Musk, Sharon Osbourne and even Prime Minister Boris Johnson shed the pounds.
But there is a dark side to these “miracle jabs”.
UK health chiefs are investigating 20 deaths that have been reported as being potentially linked to the injections.
Several celebs, including model Lottie Moss and actor Stephen Fry, have opened up about all the horrible side effects they experienced while taking the jabs, from contorting on the floor to violent sickness.
Ian Budd, pharmacist for Chemist4U and MyBMI, says: “Using injectable weight-loss medications for cosmetic reasons or without a medical need is not recommended and can be potentially harmful.
“They are not a quick fix or a way to lose a few pounds before a holiday.
“Misuse of these medications can lead to serious health consequences and should be avoided.”
Dr Iqbal added: “They are for the management of chronic obesity, so they may not be the first step to take if your weight gain has been more recent or over a shorter period of time.”
Eligiblity hinges on having a body mass index of 30-35 (obese category), coupled with weight-related health issues such as hypertension or type 2 diabetes.
Fat jabs aren’t available over the counter, you need to have a prescription to take them.
Aside from getting a prescription via the NHS, you also have the option for paying for a private prescription.
Your eligibility will still need to be assessed by a pharmacist or GP, according to Click2Pharmacy.
But an influx of skinny jabs on the black market has resulted in people becoming sick and even risking death.
Experts warned a legitimate prescriber will have their credentials listed in registers provided by the General Medical Council or General Pharmaceutical Council and pharmacies should be registered with the GPhC.