Warnings have been issued about the dangers of fake slimming pills after one third of dieters admitted to buying pills online, with many suffering side effects such as bleeding.
It comes as the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) revealed that in 2016 alone it seized more than 4.6 million fake medical products and closed more than 5,000 websites selling medicines illegally.
And since 2013, it has seized nearly £4 million worth of unregulated weight loss pills.
MHRA carried out a survey with Slimming World as part of its #FakeMeds campaign and found that many dieters have put their health at risk by ordering potentially hazardous diet pills.
Of the 1,805 dieters who responded, one third said they had bought slimming pills online. Seventy-seven per cent said they were enticed by promises of rapid weight loss, while 57% said discreet ordering appealed to them. More than four in ten – 44% – said they ordered online because they did not want to speak to a GP or pharmacist.
Of those who had bought slimming pills online, 63% suffered unpleasant side effects, including diarrhoea, bleeding, blurred vision and heart problems. However, 81% admitted they did not report these side effects to anyone.
Lynda Scammell, MHRA senior policy manager, said: “Quick fixes for losing weight may have serious health consequences in the short or long term, including organ failure and death.”
Jenny Caven, Slimming World’s head of external affairs, added: “It’s easy to see how quick fix promises made by the sellers of online slimming pills could seem tempting to people who are desperately struggling with their weight.
“Buying slimming pills online can be incredibly risky though. The sellers are often unregulated and taking the pills puts people at risk of dangerous side effects.2
The MHRA urged anyone tempted to buy medicines online to check if the seller is registered by logging on to http://www.gov.uk/fakemeds or ensuring it displays the distance selling logo.
Leave a Reply