Clarification on advertising rules for prescription-only weight-loss medications to tackle illegal ads

A statement from the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and partners highlights what claims and images used in an advertisement are likely to break the rules.

An updated notice has been released to reiterate the rules around the advertising of prescription-only medicines used for weight management. 

The updated Enforcement notice published by the MHRA, in partnership with the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) and General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC), is directed at businesses, primarily pharmacies, that make these medicines available to the public.

The notice aims to provide important clarity on the kinds of claims and images in an ad that are likely to break the rules. 

This includes guidance that advertisers should avoid language that refers to prescription-only medicines, such as “weight-loss injection”, “obesity treatment jab” or “GLP-1”, imagery likely to be understood by consumers as denoting a prescription medicine, and ads for general weight-loss products or services that direct consumers to other ads, such as website landing pages, promoting prescription-only medicines. 

A statement from the MHRA said: “The MHRA takes the illegal advertising of prescription-only weight loss medicines to the public very seriously and works tirelessly to crack down on those breaking the rules and putting people’s health at risk. 

“This year to date, the MHRA has taken action against more than 25 businesses that promoted to the public prescription-only medicines for weight loss. We have also worked closely and collaboratively with the ASA in their investigations into the promotion of prescription-only weight loss medicines.”

Read the updated Enforcement Notice at the Advertising Standards Authority website  

Guidance on the advertising and promotion of prescription medicines in the UK can be found in the MHRA Blue Guide