The email highlights the concerns being raised, and what is expected of pharmacy owners, pharmacists and pharmacy technicians to meet relevant standards and guidance from the GPhC, Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA).
Read the email from the Chief Pharmacy Officer and Chief Enforcement Officer
Roz Gittins, Chief Pharmacy Officer, said:
“We work closely with the MHRA and the ASA in relation to concerns about the supply and advertising/ promotion of medicines.
“We are all receiving growing concerns that some people are receiving inappropriate marketing messages and advice from some pharmacies relating to medicines used for weight-management. This is especially following the recent announcement of a price increase and reported shortages of Mounjaro®.
“We understand that shortages of medicines cause real challenges for both people taking medicines and pharmacy teams. Pharmacy owners, pharmacists and pharmacy technicians need to make sure they are following the standards and guidance from us, the MHRA and ASA at all times in these situations, to make sure people get appropriate information, and safe and effective care.”
Dionne Spence, Chief Enforcement Officer, said:
“We would urge all pharmacy owners, pharmacists and pharmacy technicians involved in supplying Mounjaro®, Wegovy® or other medicines used for weight-management, to review our email, and take any actions needed to make sure they’re following the relevant standards and guidance highlighted in the email at all times.
“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.
“Not meeting our standards could result in enforcement action against owners, pharmacists (including Superintendents) and pharmacy technicians.”
Jess Tye, ASA Regulatory Projects Manager, 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.”
Julian Beach, MHRA Executive Director of Healthcare Quality and Access, said:
“We take concerns about the promotion of medicines to the public seriously. Advertising regulations prohibit the publication of an advertisement to the public that is likely to lead to the use of a Prescription-Only Medicine (POM).
“We are particularly concerned that the public may currently be being targeted with inappropriate information about weight loss treatments that may lead them to request a POM, which could include being based on price or supply.
“Only a service or a consultation may be promoted to the public. The appropriate management for a condition in an individual patient is for the prescriber and patient jointly to consider and this may include a number of medical factors as well as a range of therapeutic options.”
Background information:
MHRA guidance on GLP-1 medicines for weight loss and diabetes is available here: GLP-1 medicines for weight loss and diabetes: what you need to know