In Profession news

Follow this topic

Bookmark

Record learning outcomes

As weight loss patients seek lower-cost alternatives to Mounjaro following a major price hike, the GPhC has warned it is clamping down on a number of pharmacies over the promotion of alternative weight loss medicines. 

In an email to registrants and pharmacy owners this afternoon (August 29), the regulator said it was working with the MHRA and Advertising Standards Agency on this live issue and had received numerous concerns relating to pharmacies allegedly offering inappropriate advice on switching to cheaper drugs, such as Wegovy. 

These have included:

• Emails and online marketing 'encouraging' patients to request to be switched to Wegovy or another drug
• Patients receiving advice on switching "that is not in line with good practice guidance, local formularies or product licences"
• Patients being incentivised to bulk-buy and stock up for several months " which does not align with the need for regular reviews and monitoring before further supplies are made"
• Failure to reply to refund requests in a timely manner. 

The GPhC said: "Our inspectors have already been following up with pharmacies, focusing on those that are receiving high volumes of complaints, and will continue to do this. 

"We would also emphasise that pharmacies should have an appropriate complaints process in place which meets our Standard 1.4 of our standards for registered pharmacies, so people receive a timely and appropriate response to their complaint.

"Not meeting our standards could result in enforcement action against owners, pharmacists (including Superintendents) and pharmacy technicians."

The Advertising Standards Agency, which has targeted a number of pharmacies for the inappropriate promotion of weight loss services, said: “The law and the advertising rules are clear, prescription-only medicines (POMs) can’t be advertised to the public.

"We continue to carry out extensive monitoring, investigation and enforcement work around pharmacy advertising for weight-loss POMs. 

"This latest trend raises serious concerns about potential harmful and unlawful ads, and we are actively undertaking sweeps using our Active Ad Monitoring system to identify and take action against any advertiser who breaks the rules.”