TikTok bans influencer accounts promoting weight loss jabs to followers
An alarming trend of content creators promoting weight loss drugs and sharing links to online pharmacies is emerging on social media platforms.
A LADbible investigation has discovered dozens of TikTok accounts documenting their weight loss journeys alongside discount codes for affiliate deals, something which goes against the advertising rules on the platform.
We also tested how easy it is to purchase the drugs without a trip to the GP, raising further concerns about how readily available the medications have become.
In recent months, it has been well documented that celebrities have embraced the use of GLP-1 receptor agonist drugs, such as Ozempic, Wegovy (produced by Novo Nordisk) and Mounjaro (produced by Eli Lilly), both of which are primarily prescribed for those with Type 2 diabetes.
Advert
Wegovy has been approved for use in the NHS as a weight loss drug, to manage obesity in some people who are at risk of heart problems.
But, as you would expect with modern medicine, all three require a prescription for use, and yet more and more people on the internet are getting their hands on the drugs through online pharmacies such as Simple Online Pharmacy, Voy and MedExpress.
TikTok's guidelines make it clear that promoting weight loss drugs is not allowed, and yet there are hundreds, if not thousands, of accounts online making claims that the product alone is contributing to significant weight loss.
The guidelines state: "Ad content and landing pages for dieting and weight management products must prioritise responsible claims and cannot promote such products as being the sole solution for weight loss or weight gain. "Any weight loss claims must target users aged 18 years or older, and must do so via the promotion of a healthy lifestyle."
Weight loss injections cannot be advertised in the UK, among several other countries across the world including the United States, while these videos also arguably suggest that users should look a certain way, which is something TikTok have already sought to counter after banning the #skinnytok recently.
And, after being made aware of several of these social media accounts, the platform confirmed to LADbible that the profiles had been banned for 'violating our Community Guidelines on the trade of regulated goods and services'.
The site also confirmed it has thousands of safety professionals working to keep TikTok safe, and suggest that 93 percent of videos that were found to have violated policies are removed before they are initially reported.
Some of the accounts included links and discount codes to online pharmacies, where the weight loss jabs are available for seemingly anyone to buy for £129 after just a 'two minute consultation' with one of the experts.
What happened when I tried to buy weight loss drugs
On the online pharmacy Voy, I was offered a weight loss medication in a matter of seconds, after speeding through a questionnaire and adjusting some of my answers, before being sent to the checkout with my new 'life-changing' medication, which emphasises just how easy it is for anyone to access these medicines. For reference, the weight I put myself at was still within the healthy BMI range for someone of my height, which again begs the question why it was so easy for me to have the drugs in a checkout basket.
One colleague also reported having been sent straight through to the check-out, without having to go through even the most minimal of 'consultations'.
MedExpress, which was being advertised by at least five creators we came across, were warned after an investigation from The Times last year found they had a post on the affiliate marketing website, Awin, advising content creators the company was 'keen to focus' on its 'bestselling product' of 'GLP-1 medications'.
The pharmacy’s post added that it also had 'paid placement opportunities to strengthen growth'.
However, that post has since been removed and the same advert on Awin now makes it clear that creators 'must not mention Prescription Only Medicines (POMs), such as Mounjaro, WeGovy, Ozempic in your MedExpress content and hashtags'.
Yet it seems as if this deal is still on offer to creators, as LADbible discovered numerous accounts sharing discount codes for the company in their social media videos and bios, but the company suggested that this was simply through an 'affiliate programme that follows strict compliance and regulatory guidelines'.
They said: "MedExpress does not have any paid partnerships with any influencers. It runs an affiliate programme that follows strict compliance and regulatory guidelines. Individuals must apply to join, and selection is not based on follower size but on suitability, content style, and willingness to comply to terms and conditions.
"All individuals are vetted for suitability and compliance. In line with this, we do not permit mentions of GLP-1 inhibitors or any other prescription-only medicine in content that shares affiliate codes, nor in handles, usernames or bios.
"All those who participate in the affiliate programme have agreed to adhere to strict compliance guidelines as part of the terms and conditions. We audit all affiliate content to ensure compliance and flag any non-compliance which require immediate effect change, with termination from the program for repeat or serious violations."
What is the Advertising Standards Authority doing about the issue?
Speaking to LADbible, the Advertising Standards Authority said: "We are concerned about the volume of ads for weight-loss prescription-only medicines (POMs), such as Mounjaro, that are targeted at members of the public.
"In short, advertising prescription-only medicines to the public is prohibited by law and, by extension, the advertising rules.
"That’s why we issued a warning to advertisers in December and that kickstarted the launch of a cross-organisational project on identifying and tackling weight-loss POM ads that break the rules. This includes a rolling programme of monitoring, investigation, enforcement action and partnership working in this area."
The ASA also told us that using an AI ad monitoring system they are continuing to monitor for weight-loss prescription-only medicines.
The body confirmed: "This includes monitoring Instagram posts by influencers/content creators where they have a commercial relationship with a weight-loss provider (that can include discount codes, affiliate links or a reciprocal arrangement to promote their product) and working with Meta to have problem content taken down."
However, the reality is that there are close to 500k posts on TikTok that feature #Mounjaro, and close to 100k that feature #Wegovy and a quick look through these videos will point you towards many more users who are breaking advertising rules with their content.
Sadly, this problem is not just limited to one social media site, as a report last year also exposed how easy it was to access these medicines through Instagram, and suggested that there were thousands of advertisements including terminology such as GLP-1, semaglutide and Ozempic.
Another quick search for Instagram accounts sharing money off codes for the weight loss drug garnered more than 10 results but Meta confirmed to LADbible that these accounts would be investigated, while also reaffirmed that advertising the drugs as 'miracle' methods to lose weight is illegal and that ads in general must not promote weight loss products.
A Novo Nordisk spokesperson said: "Treatment decisions should be made together with a healthcare provider who can evaluate the appropriateness of using a GLP-1 based on assessment of a patient’s individual medical profile.
"Novo Nordisk does not condone the promotion of prescription only medicines to the public in the UK."
Eli Lilly, the producers of Mounjaro, said: "Prescription-only medicines like Lilly’s always require a prescription and supervision from a healthcare professional; anyone offering to sell these products without a prescription is acting illegally and putting patient health at risk. It is crucial to get a prescription from a healthcare professional and then get your prescription fulfilled by a registered pharmacy or registered online provider. This is the only legitimate route to obtain Lilly medicines. It is illegal in the UK to advertise prescription-only medicines to the general public."
LADbible group has contacted Voy and Simple Online Pharmacy for comment. One creator declined to comment.
Topics: TikTok, Social Media, Ozempic, Mounjaro, Health
James Moorhouse