Individuals taking weight loss drugs in the UK have been warned over side effects by a health agency
Individuals taking weight loss drugs in the UK have been warned over side effects by the MHRA(Image: Moment RF)
A warning has been issued to individuals taking a weight loss drugs in the UK.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) have urged women taking weight loss injections such as Mounjaro, Wegovy and Saxenda alongside contraception to be wary.
Weight loss drugs such as these are available on the NHS or privately, and work by mimicking the hormones which make you feel satiated.
Women taking Mounjaro are being warned they must take the oral contraceptive pill, contraceptive implants, the coil or condoms, due to numerous reports of pregnancies related to the jabs, the MHRA said.
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More than 40 reports regarding pregnancy in women taking the injections have been identified, and 26 of those were specifically in relation to Mounjaro, according to PA news agency.
A “baby boom” has been linked to the jabs, with women online claiming to have become unexpectedly pregnant, while on the medication, even though they were on contraception, the Manchester Evening News said.
Women who are already pregnant, who are trying to get pregnant or are breastfeeding must also not take the injections, and it is advised those who fall pregnant while on the jabs should stop taking them.
The MHRA has also advised those who stop the medicine should continue to use contraception for up to two months before attempting to get pregnant.
It said: “This is because there is not enough safety data to know whether taking the medicine could cause harm to the baby.”
Mounjaro users are specifically recommended to use condoms, even if they are on the pill, as the jabs could reduce how effective the oral pill is if an individual is over weight.
The MHRA added: “This only applies to those taking Mounjaro and is especially important for the four weeks after starting Mounjaro and after any dose increase.”
For further advice, weight loss injections should come with leaflets which detail important advice on contraception.
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Officials at the body have also urged people considering taking the jabs to be wary of who they buy them from, as they should not be purchased from unregulated sellers.
Any concerns over whether a seller is genuine should be reported to the MHRA Yellow Card scheme.
Dr Alison Cave, MHRA chief safety officer, said: “Skinny jabs are medicines licensed to treat specific medical conditions and should not be used as aesthetic or cosmetic treatments.
“They are not a quick fix to lose weight and have not been assessed to be safe when used in this way.
She continued: “Our guidance offers patients a ‘one-stop shop’ for our up-to-date advice on how to use these powerful medicines safely.”
“This guidance should not be used as a substitute to reading the patient information leaflet or having a conversation with a healthcare professional as part of the prescribing process.”
Guidance issued by the MHRA also includes a reminder for weight loss injection users of symptoms such as acute pancreatitis, which can be serious with sufferers experiencing persistent pain around the stomach and back.
Jasmine Shah, medication safety officer at the National Pharmacy Association, said: “Pharmacists urge women taking GLP-1 medicines to note this important new guidance from the MHRA published today and use effective contraception.
“Community pharmacies have been experiencing unprecedented levels of interest for weight loss injections. It is therefore important that regulations and guidance keep pace with this demand and that patient safety is put at the heart of everything we do.”
She added: “Medicines are not like ordinary goods for sale; they must be handled with great care because they have the power to harm as well as to heal.
“We also reiterate warnings from the MHRA to avoid any potential fake weight loss injections sold on social media or via beauty salons, which could pose a serious risk to someone’s health.
“We urge anyone who has concerns about this medication to speak to their pharmacist for advice.”