Key Summary
- These practices carry serious health risks, as a treatment appropriate for one person may be unsafe for another.
- The survey shows that 30% would take unsupervised breaks from their medication.
- Dr Kieran Seyan, Chief Medical Officer at Pharmacy2U, urges patients not to treat weight-management drugs as a "quick fix".
The introduction of GLP-1 weight-loss pill in the UK has further galvanised the market, but a new study has found that many people are not keen to follow many of the required safe practices.
A Pharmacy2U research shows that more than half of people (55%), who are considering or using weight-management medication, are comfortable disregarding clinical guidance on how to use it.
The survey, conducted by 3Gem, also shows that around a quarter (27%) would be willing to share oral weight-management medication with friends or family, and its much higher (41%) among those aged 18-34.
Also read: Avoid quick-fix remedies for weight loss: MHRA
A third of men (33%) say they would be prepared to share, compared with a fifth of women (20%), with a similar proportion prepared to share an injectable treatment.
These practices carry serious health risks, as a treatment appropriate for one person may be unsafe for another.
Dose adjustments
Among those who said they would be comfortable adjusting their dose, 36% would reduce it, 30% would take unsupervised breaks from their medication, 22% would increase it during the summer, and 21% would do so ahead of a specific event such as a holiday or wedding.
Weight-management treatments come in different formats, with some taken daily and others weekly, so it is important patients follow the guidance for their own treatment rather than assuming they all work in the same way.
No quick fix: Seyan
Pharmacy2U Chief Medical Officer Dr Kieran Seyan said: “It's encouraging that so many people want to take control of their health, but some of these attitudes are concerning. Prescription-only weight-management treatments are powerful medications that should only be prescribed for a specific individual following a thorough clinical assessment. Sharing them with someone else, or changing how or when you take them without medical advice, can carry genuine health risks.
“Any weight-management medication could pose risks if patients see it as a 'quick fix' or assume it can be used more flexibly than prescribed. These medications should only be taken as part of a holistic plan that includes support around diet and lifestyle.
“If you are using any weight-management medication, the safest approach is to follow the guidance you've been given and speak to your clinician before making any change - rather than adjusting things yourself for a holiday, a wedding or the summer.”
Dr Seyan said as the weight-management landscape broadens, "clinicians will play a key role in keeping patients fully informed and supporting them to explore the right options."
