With Mounjaro set to be rolled out across Britain for weight loss, there are dangerous trends doctors have warned against.
In particular, it’s the potentially fatal ‘golden dose’ that both experts and manufacturers have issued a warning over.
Typically designed for treating Type-2 Diabetes, Mounjaro (just like Ozempic and Wegovy) is increasingly being used by people wanting to lose weight over recent years.
And by Monday (23 June), the NHS is set to do a phased rollout of the injectable medicine for eligible patients to help with weight loss.
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But there are also people who can access the drug privately in the UK, paying online using a prescription. It’s with these cases where the ‘golden dose’ trend seems to have primarily gone viral across social media.
What is Mounjaro?
Unlike Ozempic, Mounjaro is licensed for use in the UK as a weight loss treatment.
The drug contains tirzepatide, which mimics the actions of GLP-1 and GIP hormones the body typically releases after eating. Therefore, Mounjaro is able to make people feel fuller for longer and reduces their appetite.
So, combining the treatment with a reduction in food intake and regular exercise can help speed up weight loss.
What is the ‘golden dose’?
Some Brits have been creating this ‘golden dose’ in order to supposedly get their ‘money’s worth’.
In order to do this, people have basically been setting up a mini home lab, using a needle and syringe to extract the ‘leftover’ liquid from their Mounjaro pen. They then give themselves an extra injection of the medication – more than what is prescribed.
However, this is heavily warned against, as experts say it’s simply not worth the risk.
Warning against the ‘golden dose’
The manufacturer of Mounjaro, Eli Lilly, told LADbible: “The Mounjaro (tirzepatide) KwikPen is designed to deliver a fixed volume of Mounjaro solution at each dose. The KwikPen contains sufficient solution to allow for the necessary priming before each injection and the delivery of a total of 4 doses (one dose given weekly for a 28-day supply of medicine).”
It pointed out that, while medication ‘will remain in the KwikPen cartiridge’ after the four fixed doses are completed, ‘an additional dose cannot be dialled'.
“The KwikPen must be discarded after 4 doses or 30 days after first use,” the pharmaceutical company added.
Experts have warned that people hacking into their pens for the dose isn’t necessarily ‘clean’ and could put them ‘at risk of significant harm’.
Professor Penny Ward also told the MailOnline that, while the pens are sterile when dispensed, they are not once they're used, meaning that harmful bacteria could enter the bloodstream.
"This can lead to an abscess — a painful build-up of pus — and if left untreated, potentially progress to sepsis, a life-threatening condition where the body's organs begin to shut down," she warned as well as highlighting the risk of overdosing.
GP warning ahead of Mounjaro roll out
While Mounjaro is going to be available on the NHS, it’s said that only up to 220,000 people may be offered it over the next three years.
Per The Sun, Crayford Town Surgery in Kent said: “We do not prescribe weight loss jabs so please do not ask.”
It’s been warned that only those with ‘the highest medical need’ will get the prescription as Olivier Picard, chair of the National Pharmacy Association, added: “NHS provision won’t meet demand straight away.
“In reality, many GPs lack the bandwidth to deliver the level of support needed.
“We expect that many people will continue seeking it privately.”
Jess Battison