A shadow market for unapproved slimming drugs is being driven by TikTok fitness influencers and sellers on messaging platforms, based on new investigations.
Retatrutide, which is still in clinical trials, is being advertised by online personalities for its supposed fat-burning properties. Viewers are urged to contact these profiles directly for supplier links, while also receiving promotional offers.
Additionally, a flourishing trade exists on messaging services, where groups with thousands of participants share comparison images, administration instructions and claims of rapid British shipping. Vendors promote the substance there before directing buyers to other platforms for purchases.
Retatrutide is an investigational injectable developed by American pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly. The drug affects three intestinal hormones – glucagon-like peptide-1, glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide and pancreatic hormone. Early trials suggest it could help patients lose up to a quarter of their total weight. Referred to as the “triple G”, the substance is being hailed online as the next Ozempic.
However, physicians and chemists have cautions that the distribution of what is still an unlicensed drug in the United Kingdom is a cause for concern and could lead to individuals injecting substances of unknown origin.
Several experts stated the popularity for the experimental drug could be linked to the rising price of licensed slimming treatments such as Mounjaro.
Selling the unapproved drug on TikTok or Telegram is illegal in the United Kingdom, as it is an unlicensed medication that cannot be marketed or supplied for human use under the Human Medicines Regulations 2012.
Some content creators try to circumvent the rules by calling to the drug as a “research chemical” or citing it as “not for human consumption”. The substance is not a restricted drug, but advertising and supply can still violate pharmaceutical, advertising, and customer laws, potentially leading to penalties, legal action or prison.
Based on the social media company, the platform has taken down violative material and banned associated keywords and query recommendations. The organization stated it was dedicated to keeping the platform safe and investing in enhancing compliance measures.
Investigations also discovered communities with up to 9,000 members marketing retatrutide using Telegram's built-in search feature, which functions like a online catalog. Typing “retatrutide” instantly displays groups with numerous of users, populated with images of slimming results, positive testimonials and step-by-step guides for preparing or injecting at residence.
After minutes of joining one community, a seller shared contact information, where the majority of transactions occur. The vendor sent an instruction manual and promised delivery within 48 hours. When questioned whether the substance was authentic, one seller responded: “You can’t be sure.” Another provided a photo of a alleged testing documentation. None asked about body mass, health issues or past usage.
Inside these groups, posts display black plastic packages with Royal Mail stickers, claiming to include fresh supplies. One message stated: “It took eight of us to load them this morning.”
Buyers can select between dry substance containers, mixed at home with sterile water, or pre-filled injectors typically priced at £160 for 20 milligrams. When questioned how much time a injector should be used, sellers give contradictory answers ranging from a few weeks to “depends on your body”.
A spokesperson for Telegram stated it actively moderated harmful content on its platform including content that encouraged the “misuse of controlled medications”. The organization added that it eliminated “millions of pieces of harmful content each day”.
“People are injecting substances they cannot confirm. Although the science behind this drug is valid, these online versions may not contain what they advertise,” said Jason Murphy, the director of pharmaceutical services at a pharmacy service.
A medical professional of Asda Online Doctor connected the surge in interest to recent price rises for approved weight-loss medications such as Mounjaro. “With costs increasing, individuals are turning to social media. But counterfeit injections are extremely dangerous. You cannot know what’s inside or whether the environment they were made in was sterile,” she said.
Her team has previously seen patients injured by self-injection from unverified sources. “We understand the disappointment, but purchasing from Telegram or WhatsApp is gambling with your health,” said Wyllie. “These substances could be contaminated or improperly measured.”
A spokesperson from the pharmaceutical company said retatrutide was in phase 3 clinical trials and had not been evaluated or approved by any regulatory agency anywhere in the world. “Consequently at this point no one can market [it] for personal consumption,” they said, adding that any product “misleadingly claiming itself as a company experimental substance not yet authorized … may subject users to potentially significant medical dangers”.
A tech analyst and business strategist with over a decade of experience in global markets, specializing in digital transformation and innovation.
