An underground economy for unlicensed weight-loss drugs is being driven by social media fitness personalities and vendors on communication apps, based on new investigations.
Retatrutide, which remains in research studies, is being advertised by online personalities for its supposed weight-reducing properties. Viewers are urged to contact these profiles privately for supplier links, while also receiving discount codes.
Separately, a flourishing market exists on Telegram, where communities with numerous of members share comparison photos, administration instructions and assertions of next-day UK delivery. Sellers promote the substance there before redirecting customers to WhatsApp for purchases.
Retatrutide is an experimental injection developed by American pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly. The drug targets three intestinal hormones – GLP-1, glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide and glucagon. Early trials indicate it could assist patients lose up to 25% of their body weight. Nicknamed the “triple G”, the substance is being hailed digitally as the next Ozempic.
However, doctors and pharmacists have cautions that the sale of what is still an unlicensed medication in the UK is a cause for concern and could result in users administering substances of uncertain source.
Several professionals stated the demand for retatrutide could be connected to the rising cost of licensed slimming treatments such as Mounjaro.
Marketing the unapproved drug on TikTok or messaging apps is prohibited in the United Kingdom, as it is an unapproved drug that cannot be promoted or distributed for human use under the Human Medicines Regulations 2012.
Several influencers attempt to circumvent the regulations by referring to the substance as a “research chemical” or describing it as “not for human consumption”. Retatrutide is not a controlled drug, but promotion and distribution can still breach medicines, advertising, and customer regulations, potentially leading to fines, legal action or prison.
Based on the social media company, the platform has taken down violative material and prohibited associated hashtags and query recommendations. The company said it was committed to keeping the platform secure and allocating resources in strengthening compliance measures.
Research also discovered groups with up to 9,000 members selling retatrutide using the platform's integrated search feature, which functions like a public directory. Typing “retatrutide” immediately displays groups with thousands of members, populated with images of weight loss, positive reviews and step-by-step guides for preparing or administering at residence.
Within moments of joining one group, a vendor shared contact information, where the majority of purchases occur. The vendor provided an guidebook and guaranteed delivery within 48 hours. When asked whether the product was authentic, one vendor responded: “You can’t be sure.” Another provided a image of a alleged testing documentation. Not one inquired about weight, medical conditions or previous experience.
Within these communities, messages display black plastic packages with postal service stickers, stating to contain new batches. One message read: “It took eight of us to load them this morning.”
Customers can select between powder vials, mixed at home with purified liquid, or pre-filled pens usually priced at 160 pounds for 20mg. When asked how much time a injector should be used, sellers give conflicting answers varying between a several days to “depends on your body”.
A representative for Telegram stated it actively monitored harmful content on its platform including material that encouraged the “misuse of controlled medications”. The company added that it eliminated “millions of pieces of harmful content each day”.
“Individuals are injecting substances they can’t verify. Although the research behind retatrutide is sound, these digital versions may not contain what they claim,” stated a pharmacy expert, the director of pharmacy at Chemist4U.
Dr Crystal Wyllie of Asda Online Doctor connected the increase in interest to recent cost increases for approved slimming medications such as Mounjaro. “With prices increasing, patients are using social media. But fake injections are highly risky. You cannot know what’s contained or whether the environment they were made in was clean,” she said.
Her team has previously seen individuals injured by self-injection from unconfirmed sources. “We understand the disappointment, but buying from Telegram or communication platforms is taking chances with your well-being,” said the doctor. “These materials could be impure or improperly measured.”
A spokesperson from the pharmaceutical company stated the substance was in phase 3 research studies and had not been reviewed or approved by any government authority anywhere in the world. “Consequently at this time no one can market [it] for personal consumption,” they said, adding that any product “misleadingly claiming itself as a company investigational product not yet approved … may subject users to possibly significant medical dangers”.
A tech journalist with over a decade of experience covering emerging technologies and digital innovation across global markets.
