The Mirror reported on 19 September 2026 that a reporter obtained Wegovy tablets from two of three online pharmacies tested by misstating their weight, at about £90 a month. According to the newspaper, applicants were asked to complete an online questionnaire, upload ID and submit photographs of themselves face-forward, from the side and on bathroom scales, and those images could be altered with AI to make a person look heavier. Under General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) standards, pharmacies supplying weight-loss medicines online must verify a patient's BMI through an in-person or video consultation or a check of medical records. The Mirror said many firms are not doing so. Oral Wegovy (semaglutide) launched in the UK on 6 July 2026. The findings come from a single newspaper investigation of a small number of pharmacies, not from a regulator's inspection, and this article does not name the pharmacies involved.
What the regulators and charities said
Roz Gittins, the GPhC's Chief Pharmacy Officer, said: "We are very concerned to hear about The Mirror's findings". An MHRA spokesperson said: "GLP-1s are medicines licensed to treat specific medical disorders and should only be used if you are overweight or diabetic". Tom Quinn of the eating disorder charity BEAT said: "Medications which promise quick weight loss can be particularly attractive to people with eating disorders". In July, GPhC chief executive Kathie Cashell said criminals were exploiting public interest in weight management medicines by running illegal websites selling fake medicines, and the regulator launched a campaign urging people to check a pharmacy is on its register. The GPhC regulates pharmacies in England, Scotland and Wales; Northern Ireland has a separate regulator. A National Pharmacy Association survey, cited by The Pharmaceutical Journal, found 97% of pharmacies were concerned the oral treatment would increase black market sales of unlicensed weight loss products.
What this means for you
This is a story about how prescription-only medicines are supplied online, and it has no bearing on food supplements. It does show why regulators keep pointing to registration and verified clinical checks as the basis for trusting an online seller. For how Perqen sources what it sells, see our FAQs page.
How Perqen members save
This is a regulatory and safety story about prescription medicines, so there is no product link here. Perqen membership costs £4.99 a month or £29.99 a year; see how membership pricing works.
This article reports published news and research and is for information only. Food supplements are not a substitute for a varied diet or medical care, and no product mentioned is intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Speak to your GP or pharmacist before changing what you take, especially if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or taking prescribed medicines.