Weight loss medicines: GPhC tightens online supply rules, sector welcomes changes

The General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) has published updated guidance on online pharmacy services in Great Britain, introducing additional safeguards to prevent unsafe supply of high-risk medicines, including weight
loss injections.

Under the new rules, medicines used for weight-management and medicines requiring physical examination before a prescribing decision is made have been added to the list of high-risk medicines.

When prescribing these medicines, prescribers can no longer rely solely on online questionnaires.

Instead, they must independently verify patient information, either through timely two-way communication with the person, accessing the person’s clinical records, or contacting the person’s GP, their regular prescriber, or a
third-party provider.

These measures aim to prevent individuals from providing false information to obtain medicines that may not be clinically appropriate for them, reducing potential harm.

The pharmacy regulator updated its guidance in response to concerns identified relating to unsafe prescribing and supply of medicines online.