What a safe online weight-loss prescribing service looks like

Look for a named responsible pharmacist and a GPhC registration number for the pharmacy, and the name and professional registration number of each prescriber. You can check registers online. Be wary of services that hide ownership or operate from outside the UK while supplying UK patients, because UK regulation then may not apply in the way you expect.

The GPhC has set principles for pharmacies providing services at a distance, including for medicines where there is higher risk of harm. For weight-loss medicines, regulators expect more than a self-completed questionnaire. That generally means identity verification, reliable confirmation of weight and height, a live clinical consultation or an equivalent assessment and a documented decision.

• Is my identity checked?

• Is my weight verified, for example by photo or video, rather than just typed?

• Does a clinician talk to me, or review my answers and ask follow-up questions?

• Is my past medical history asked about in detail?

• Is it possible for the service to say no, and do they?

In the UK, prescription-only medicines cannot be advertised to the public. The MHRA and the Advertising Standards Authority have taken action against promotions that name specific medicines, show before-and-after images or use time-limited discounts. A service that leads with a brand name and a price is a warning sign, because it suggests the decision to supply has already been made before any assessment.

A safe service explains how the medicine works, what the side effects are, how to store pens and dispose of needles, and what to do in an emergency. It plans reviews at dose changes, tells you how to contact a clinician and asks your consent to inform your GP. It should be clear about what happens if you miss doses and should not supply large stockpiles of higher doses.

The MHRA has warned about counterfeit pens and unlicensed products sold online and through social media. Products obtained outside regulated pharmacies may contain the wrong dose, the wrong substance or be contaminated. Products sold as research chemicals or peptides for injection are not licensed medicines. If you have already used a product from an unregulated source and feel unwell, seek medical advice and report it through the Yellow Card scheme.

Take time. Read the consent and privacy information. Check registers. If something feels rushed or too easy, step back. A safe service will not mind questions about how it works.