Less than half of the UK population is aware that glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) weight loss drugs are prescription-only medicines (POMs), new research has found.
Findings published by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) today also revealed that many Brits “can define a prescription-only medicine but struggle to correctly identify specific products”.
The ASA said its research into how people interpret and respond to obesity drug ads is part of its “ongoing project to identify and tackle” the illegal advertising of prescription-only weight loss medicines.
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The regulator added that the majority of people “feel weight loss treatment ads can put pressure on people to lose weight” and “are often targeted at vulnerable audiences”.
And it said “most people strongly agree” with advertising restrictions for weight loss and prescription-only medicines, mainly due to “concerns about safety and misuse”.
Enforcement action
The ASA also announced that its “targeted monitoring, swift enforcement action” and work with the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) have “driven a significant rise in the number of ads sticking to the rules”.
It said that in the year to January, its “AI-based active ad monitoring system” identified and analysed “over 95,000 unique paid online ads from 44 pharmacies and online clinics responsible for the majority of ads in the sector”.
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Around 35,000 adverts related to weight management services, it added, while roughly 900 ads from 38 advertisers “were assessed as likely to break the rules” by promoting POMs for weight loss.
“We contacted the advertisers, instructed them to amend or remove non-compliant ads, and received assurances that ads would be amended or removed,” the regulator said.
It added that this “targeted action” contributed to compliance levels reaching 99% over the monitoring period.
Pharmacies “must follow rules”
ASA regulatory projects manager Jessica Tye said the regulator’s “investigations and rulings, AI-assisted monitoring and enforcement work” has resulted in a ”significant improvement in the number of pharmacies and clinics now sticking to the rules”.
“That’s welcome, but our latest research shows just how much weight loss is in the public consciousness and how they interpret and respond to ads,” she added.
“We’re committed to continuing to monitor the sector, work with the MHRA and GPhC and to take action where problem ads appear.”
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And GPhC chief enforcement officer Dionne Spence said the ASA’s findings “highlight the huge public interest in weight management medicines”.
“Responsible advertising by pharmacies and other healthcare providers is vital, as it helps ensure the public can make informed decisions and protects people from potentially unsafe or misleading information,” she added.
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She said the GPhC has “made clear to pharmacy owners and teams that they must follow the guidance and rules from the MHRA and ASA at all times”.
“It is good to see that 99% of adverts for weight management medicines are now meeting the guidance and rules for medicines advertising following our joint work with the ASA and MHRA, and we are committed to continuing to work closely together.”
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It comes after drugmaker Eli Lilly issued a warning about “potential safety risks” linked to “knock-off” versions of its weight loss medicine tirzepatide.
Lilly announced last month that its testing of “compounded tirzepatide” mixed with vitamin B12 revealed “significant levels of an impurity” produced by a chemical reaction between the two ingredients.
