UK-based online pharmacy Happy Pharmacy this week (July 21) urged the “media, healthcare providers and the public to help dismantle the stigma around prescription weight loss injections”.
The pharmacy, which launched in March this year, said that medicines like Wegovy and Mounjaro are “shifting perceptions and offering new hope” to those struggling with weight-related health issues.
But it added that many patients “hesitate to pursue treatment due to lingering stigma and misinformation about obesity and medical intervention”.
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It called for a “fundamental shift in public perception around medically supervised weight loss treatments” and “respectful obesity care”.
“Obesity is a complex condition involving more than just diet and people deserve support - not judgment - when seeking help,” Happy Pharmacy superintendent Palvinder Deol said.
“We need to reframe weight loss support as a legitimate medical need,” he added.
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But the pharmacy stressed that Wegovy and Mounjaro are “not suitable for everyone and are only offered to individuals who meet the eligibility criteria” following a “full clinical assessment” by a qualified healthcare professional.
Happy Pharmacy offers a “holistic” online service treating weight loss, hair loss and erectile dysfunction through “pharmacist-led consultations”, it said.
Read more: PM hints at ‘innovative’ pharmacy weight loss jab service rollout
It comes as the parliamentary health and social care committee (HSCC) this month launched an inquiry into the “challenges and opportunities” of weight loss injections, issuing a public “call for evidence” to help inform its investigation.
And Prime Minister Keir Starmer hinted earlier this month at plans to make “innovative” weight loss services “available in pharmacies” in the future as part of the 10-year plan.
