The high street 'black market' cashing in on weight-loss drugs: How knock-off versions of 'skinny jab' are being sold illegally on social media and in beauty salons across Britain

Knock-off versions of a weight loss drug are being sold illegally on social media and in beauty salons across Britain in a 'black market' taking advantage of vulnerable people, an undercover investigation has found. 

Unofficial versions of Semaglutide, dubbed the 'skinny jab' and used in drugs to treat type 2 diabetes and help manage obesity, are often being sold with 'no questions asked,' no branding and no instructions, BBC Three's investigation revealed.

Reporter Pria Rai booked appointments in beauty salons in Manchester and Liverpool using a fake name after receiving a tip-off that Semaglutide, the active ingredient in prescription drugs Ozempic and Wegovy, was being sold. In one salon she was prescribed double the starting dose, despite being a healthy weight. 

Semaglutide acts as an appetite suppressant. To be prescribed Ozempic or Wegovy officially, you are clinically assessed and given a diet and exercise programme as well as a team of healthcare professionals to oversee it all.

But many who are looking to lose weight are turning elsewhere to get their hands on Semaglutide - with a black market version reportedly being pushed on social media. 

A woman, who was illegally sold 10mg of the weight loss drug for £200 on Instagram, told the BBC she ended up extremely ill, bed bound and then in A&E vomiting blood.

Maddy, 32, went back to her seller but says she was simply advised to take anti sickness medication for her symptoms. 

The BBC uncovered numerous accounts selling the jab with messages such as 'three stone down, if you want to know how, message me'. 

But people who had taken the drug unofficially were posting comments such as 'hopefully I don't die'. 

Tilly, 22, said: 'I remember googling "has anyone died from it," and then just being like "no, fine, OK whatever, I'll take it" - and especially when you're feeling so rubbish about yourself, you will do anything.'

She admitted it was 'nerving' when the drug arrived as there were no instructions attached. And after she took it, she said she felt like she was hungover, sick, and stressed about if she'd taken too much. Tilly, from Leeds, decided to stop taking Semaglutide.

The official versions of the drug are said to be the 'Hollywood skinny shot of choice'. 

Celebrities like Elon Musk credited it with their weight loss transformations, and even Kim Kardashian is rumoured to have used it. The demand has led to global shortages of Ozempic, which is also used to treat type-2 diabetes.

The BBC's Pria went undercover in four salons and whilst some did ask about her medical history, they all offered to sell her Semaglutide despite her being a healthy weight.

After collecting Semaglutide from one salon, Pria received instructions on WhatsApp, which advised her that the starting dose was 0.5 milligrams. This is double the official recommended starting dose. 

A different salon told her that she could increase her dose based on her hunger levels and that taking too much is 'not going to be dangerous'.

In July, the Department of Health urged doctors and pharmacists to stop prescribing Ozempic to people who want to lose weight due to the shortage. It also advised that the supply of the drug is not expected to return to normal until at least mid-2024.

Ozempic was approved for use in 2017 for patients with type 2 diabetes to manage blood glucose levels, while Wegovy was approved in the UK in 2023 to help manage obesity.

Despite the shortage of Ozempic and the medical advice issued, social media feeds are flooded with influencers pushing the appetite suppressant jabs for a fraction of the price. 

One influencer who goes by the name Fabs revealed she ended up promoting Semaglutide on TikTok after a seller told her that for every 20 she sells she would get a free kit. 

Now says she feels horrific that she was sucked into it, but the fact that she has an eating disorder made her vulnerable. 

'It's dangerous, and I'm sorry that I was ever part of it to be honest.' 

These jabs are often delivered with no branding, instructions or ingredients on the packaging, so many are left to their own devices by mixing and injecting their own medication and looking for advice on social media.

Dr Idrees Mughal, an NHS doctor and nutritional specialist, told the BBC: 'If you're relying on the individual to make and mix your own medication, that can go wrong in so many different ways. Even if you go over by one, two milligrams, that can cause severe side effects nausea, gastrointestinal upset, diarrhoea, vomiting.'

'If it's not done in a properly sterile environment, it can potentially be life threatening,' he added.

Pria ordered 11 packages of Semaglutide online from different sellers.

One label read it was 'for research purposes only' and 'not for human consumption'. When Pria went undercover in a beauty salon, she was offered a vial of semaglutide which had what looked like the same label.

The BBC had samples tested in a lab – 11 of which were ordered online and one from a salon. The tests found that some of the products contained high levels of Semaglutide whilst others contained little to none of the drug.

'These are 12 products bought from a manufacturing chain that isn't regulated, so other products may be less pure, may contain things that are more dangerous, and the next time people buy from these manufacturers, who's to say that the manufacturing process hasn't changed,' says Dr Alex Lawson, a Consultant Clinical Scientist in Biochemistry and Toxicology at University Hospital Birmingham.

The MHRA, which regulates medicines in the UK, said they decide on a case-by-case basis whether sellers are breaking the law based on how it is being sold and the claims being made about the product.

It added that they are actively investigating and that anyone found selling it illegally could be prosecuted.

Dr Alison Cave, MHRA Chief Safety Officer, told the MailOnline patient safety was their highest priority.

In a statement, she said: 'The MHRA Criminal Enforcement Unit works to identify those unlawfully trading in medicines and we will use our powers to take appropriate enforcement action, including, where necessary, prosecuting those who put your health at risk.

'Buying semaglutide or any medicinal product, from illegally trading online suppliers significantly increases the risk of getting a product which is either falsified or not licensed for use in the UK. Purchasing from illegal suppliers means there are no safeguards to ensure products meet our quality and safety standards, and taking such medicines may put your health at risk.

'If you suspect you’ve had an adverse reaction to semaglutide or any other medicinal product, are worried about its safety or effectiveness, or suspect it is not a genuine product, please report it to our Yellow Card scheme.'

MailOnline has contacted the Department of Health and Social Care for comment.

The Skinny Jab Uncovered is available on BBC iPlayer now and will air on BBC Three at 10pm tonight (Wednesday).

The Skinny Jab Uncovered is a BBC Current Affairs commission from Birmingham, made by Full Fat TV.