Urgent warning as fake 'fat loss' jabs are found in the UK which could be life-threatening with Brits told to avoid the drug - as a global alert is issued
An urgent warning has been issued to Brits to avoid fake fat loss jabs which have been found in the UK.
Earlier today the World Health Organisation warned the drugs could be life threatening.
The WHO released the warning after finding three fake batches of semaglutide in Brazil and the UK in October 2023, and the USA in December 2023.
To avoid fake medicines, the health organisation advised people to only get products with prescriptions and avoid buying medicines from unverified sources including online shops.
They added that Brits should check the packaging and make sure medication has not expired and always take them as prescribes.
Weight loss drugs like Ozempic are used to treat obesity and diabetes but fake versions are now flooding the market (Stock image)
Fake Wegovy and Ozempic batches have been found across the world and WHO have warned Brits not to buy the jabs from unverified sources (Stock image)
Counterfeit and 'dangerous' weight-loss pens a mother of two bought online which led to a near fatal reaction
This is not the first time stark warnings have been issued.
Earlier this year a mother-of-three has told how she nearly died after injecting herself with a 'skinny jab' she bought online.
Lynsay McAvoy, from Edinburgh, purchased the jabs on the internet in the hope of shedding belly fat — despite weighing just 8st (51kg).
After shedding around 7lbs (3kg) in just a few weeks, the mother-of-three ordered another batch of the injections.
However, the 42-year-old beautician then suffered a severe allergic reaction, which saw her tongue swell up and her eyes burn, causing her to pass out.
After being rushed to hospital, medics informed her that she had suffered a severe allergic reaction to the injections, which can trigger organ failure in severe cases.
She said she feels 'ashamed' and warned that despite seeming like a 'quick fix', the pens are 'dangerous'.
She said the injections appeared exactly the same as the first lot she purchased and she jabbed herself in the stomach before setting off for work.
However, within seconds, she her tongue had become swollen, her skin felt itchy and her eyes 'began to burn' to the point that she struggled to open them.
Lynsay McAvoy, from Edinburgh, purchased the jabs on the internet in the hope of shedding belly fat — despite weighing just 8st (51kg)
Single mother Michelle Sword nearly died in front of her children after injecting herself with a 'counterfeit skinny jab' she purchased off the internet.
Michelle Sword, 45, pictured with her two children Cadie (right), 13, and Coen (left), 18 who watched on in horror as their mother collapsed
In November last year a mother-of-two Michelle Sword almost died in front of her children after injecting a fake weight-loss jab.
Doctors told the 45-year-old she was very lucky to be alive after self-administering a 'dangerous' weight-loss pen she bought online for £150 in September.
Ms Sword, who lives in Carterton, Oxfordshire, said she previously tried the drug 'legitimately' via an online pharmacy three years prior - but decided to try out the viral weight-loss injection again in a bid to shed some pounds.
The 45-year-old was able to purchase the drug 'very easily' online but never expected the injection would lead to her collapsing on the floor and suffering a seizure in front of her eldest daughter on September 20.
Dr Yukiko Nakatani, WHO Assistant Director-General for Essential Medicines and Health Products said that health authorities and the public should be aware of the dangerous drugs which claim to contain the active ingredient found in Novo Nordisk's (NOVOb.CO).
He also demanded that any stakeholders report any suspicious medicines to the relevant authorities.
A spokesperson for the WHO said they had been observing increasing demand in thees medicines as well as increasing reports of fake versions flooding the market.
They told The Sun: 'These falsified products could have harmful effects to people's health; if the products don't have the necessary raw components, falsified medicines can lead to health complications resulting from unmanaged blood glucose levels or weight.
'In other cases, another undeclared active ingredient may be contained in the injection device, e.g. insulin, leading to an unpredictable range of health risks or complications.'
The health organisation also said that due to the high cost of Semaglutides, they are not recommended as a treatment for obesity and instead the WHO is working on advice to better tackle the obesity epidemic.
