TikTok influencers fuel parallel market for unlicensed weight loss drugs | Consumer affairs

A parallel online market for an unlicensed weight-loss drug is being fueled by fitness influencers and TikTok sellers on WhatsApp, a Guardian investigation has revealed.

Retatrutide, which is still in clinical trials, is being advertised by social media influencers for its supposed fat-burning effects. We invite followers to privately message the accounts to obtain links to suppliers, in addition to providing them with discount codes.

Separately, there is a booming trade on Telegram, where groups with thousands of members share “before and after” photos, evidence of injections, and next-day UK delivery claims. Sellers advertise the medicine there before directing customers to WhatsApp for transactions.

Retatrotide is an experimental injection developed by the American pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly. The drug targets three intestinal hormones – GLP-1, GIP and glucagon. Early trials suggest it can help patients lose up to a quarter of their body weight. The drug is called “Triple G,” and is being hailed online as the next Ozempic drug.

However, doctors and pharmacists have warned that the sale of this drug, which is still unlicensed in the UK, is a cause for concern and could lead to users being injected with products of unknown origin.

Some have said that the popularity of Retatrotide could be linked to the high cost of licensed weight loss products such as Mongaro.

Selling retaretide on TikTok or Telegram is illegal in the UK, as it is an unlicensed medicine and cannot be marketed or supplied for human use under the Human Medicines Regulations 2012.

Some influencers try to evade the rules by referring to the drug as a “research chemical” or citing it as “not for human consumption.” Retatrutide is not a controlled drug, but the promotion and display can still violate drug, advertising and consumer laws, putting you at risk of fines, prosecution or imprisonment.

TikTok influencer Jon Kluth, who is based in the United States and has 226,500 followers, on June 26 posted an update on his journey with what he called a four-week “reta,” and said followers could use “Jon’s code” to purchase it. He then linked to an account that sold peptides called Halfnattys. When asked for the comment, Kluth did not respond and the account was deleted.

Another UK influencer, @MappyMyGains, spoke of retatrotide as a “game changer” on September 21, and when followers asked where he gets the drug, he said, “Send me a message, buddy.” He did not respond to a request for comment.

Another promoter named @clairejoy86 posted explainer videos saying “Day 10 of Rita…” on the backing track of Sabrina Carpenter’s song “Manchild.” Those who comment are asked to message her for offer information. It did not respond to a request for comment, and instead the account was deleted.

According to TikTok, the social media company has removed the offending content and blocked the hashtags and search suggestions associated with them. It said it is committed to maintaining the security of the platform and investing in enhancing implementation strategies.

The Guardian also found groups with up to 9,000 members selling retatrotide using Telegram’s built-in discovery tool, which acts as a public directory. Typing “retatrutide” instantly spawns channels with thousands of members, filled with weight loss photos, glowing testimonials and step-by-step guides to mixing or injecting at home.

Within minutes of joining one of the groups, the seller posted details via WhatsApp, where most transactions take place. The seller sent the instruction manual and promised delivery within 48 hours. When asked if the product was authentic, one seller said: “You can’t be sure.” Another shared a photo of a supposed laboratory certificate. No one asked about weight, medical conditions, or previous experience.

Within these groups, posts show black plastic parcels bearing Royal Mail labels, claiming to contain new batches. “It took eight of us to upload it this morning,” one message read.

Buyers can choose between vials of powder, mixed at home with sterile water, or pre-filled pens which typically retail at £160 for 20mg. When sellers are asked how long a pen should last, they give conflicting answers ranging from a few weeks to “depends on your body.”

A Telegram spokesperson said the company actively moderates harmful content on its platform, including content that encourages “misuse of controlled drugs.” It added that it removes “millions of pieces of harmful content every day.”

Jason Murphy, head of pharmacy at Chemist4U, said unregulated imports could be dangerous. “People are injecting substances they can’t verify. Even if the science behind retaretide is sound, these online versions may not contain what they claim,” he said.

Dr Crystal Wylie of Asda Online Doctor linked the increase in demand to the recent rise in prices of approved weight loss drugs such as Mongaro. “As costs rise, patients are turning to social media,” she said. “But fake syringes are very dangerous. You cannot be sure what is inside them or whether the environment in which these syringes were made is sterile.”

Her team has already seen patients harmed by self-injectors from unverified sources. “We understand the frustration, but purchasing from Telegram or WhatsApp is a gamble with your health,” Willie said. “These substances may be contaminated or incorrectly dosed.”

An Eli Lilly spokesperson said retatrutide was in phase 3 clinical trials and had not been reviewed or approved by any regulatory agency anywhere in the world. “So at this time no one can sell [it] “For human use,” they said, adding that any product that “misrepresents itself as an investigational product of Lilly that has not yet been approved…may expose patients to potentially serious health risks.”