At least 16 people in Scottish hospitals have been treated for dangerous side effects of the drug tirzepatide, known by its brand name Mounjaro.
It raises serious concerns following a similar incident in which two low-dose injections of the drug caused the death of nurse Susan McGowan.
Mounjaro is part of a group of weight loss drugs known as GLP-1 receptor agonists, which work by making the patient feel full for longer.
Calls have already been made to strengthen control over the accessibility of weight-loss drugs such as Mounjaro on the Internet.
Calls have already been made to strengthen control over the accessibility of weight-loss drugs such as Mounjaro on the Internet.
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Mounjaro and other weight loss medications are developed to treat type 2 diabetes, but they can be prescribed without an in-person appointment.
Thanks to private online prescriptions, these medications are now easily accessible.
However, this means A&E doctors are facing a “huge increase” across the UK in the number of patients being sent to hospital with complications caused by medicines, according to the Society for Acute Medicine.
Buyers simply complete an online form to purchase the drugs for £200 for a month’s course.
Despite reviewing these forms, doctors have no way to verify the veracity of the information before approving prescriptions.
Vicky Price, president-elect of the Society for Acute Medicine, said: “A doctor checks the forms, but at no time does anyone see the patients face to face.
“We have seen many examples where patients have lied on the form and received medications when they should not have received them. There are no security checks beyond the person’s own integrity.
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Price added: “I have seen a significant increase in the number of hospitalized patients suffering from side effects related to these medications. Fortunately, most are relatively minor, such as diarrhea and vomiting, but serious complications are possible. »
McGowan, 58, is believed to be the first person in the UK whose death is officially linked to drugs. She received the injections for two weeks before her death on September 4.
His death certificate listed septic shock, pancreatitis and multiple organ failure as the immediate cause, but “use of prescribed tirzepatide” is recorded as a contributing factor.
Other weight loss injections have also been associated with hospital treatments.
North Lanarkshire Health Board has confirmed that semaglutide, the key component of brand-name drugs Ozempic and Wegovy, is one of the drugs linked to 12 complaints between April last year and August this year.
Similarly, NHS Glasgow and Clyde said up to four patients had been admitted with complications linked to weight loss injections in the same period.
Sandesh Gulhane, Scottish Conservative health spokesperson, said: “These worrying figures highlight the risk these wonder drugs can pose and why we desperately need better regulations around them.
Sandesh Gulhane, Scottish Conservative health spokesperson, said: “These worrying figures highlight the risk these wonder drugs can pose and why we desperately need better regulations around them. »
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“The tragic death of Susan McGowan should serve as a warning to those considering taking these medications, as they can sometimes have devastating consequences. »
Weight loss medications have gained popularity for cosmetic purposes rather than as a medical measure to improve long-term health.
Much of this is due to celebrity influence – Oprah Winfrey, for example, discussed using these drugs as a miracle weight loss method on a new TV show.
Although the drugs were approved in the UK last year to help with weight loss, they were only available on the NHS to a very small number of patients.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) operates a yellow card scheme, through which healthcare professionals and the general public can report any suspected side effects of a medicine.
In just four months, from January to May this year, 208 cases of tirzepatide were reported under the yellow card regime.
This included 31 serious reactions and one presumed death in a man in his 60s.