Brits on weight loss med 'left to own devices' and rely on social media for advice
April 17, 2026
There's a significant gap in day-to-day support for weight loss jab users in between clinical appointments - but a new app may give the help they need
A growing number of Britons prescribed powerful new weight loss medications are turning to social media for guidance, citing a lack of consistent support between clinical appointments. A recent study has found that two-thirds of individuals using GLP-1 drugs, such as Wegovy and Mounjaro, feel "left to their own devices" and are using online forums, YouTube, and TikTok for advice on managing their treatment. This reliance on unregulated platforms for medical information is raising significant concerns among healthcare professionals about patient safety.
The surge in popularity of these injectable weight loss drugs has been met with high demand, but access through the National Health Service remains limited and subject to strict eligibility criteria. While NHS England announced in April 2026 that it would offer the drug semaglutide (Wegovy) to over a million people to reduce their risk of heart attacks and strokes, many others seeking the medication for weight loss alone must turn to private prescribers. Research from an online pharmacy revealed that nearly three-quarters of people on these medications find it difficult to manage their treatment and understand their progress between consultations, driving them to seek reassurance and answers online.
This trend is fraught with risk, as clinicians warn that social media is a poor substitute for professional medical advice. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has repeatedly warned the public against buying weight loss jabs from unregulated social media channels, highlighting the dangers of counterfeit, contaminated, or incorrectly dosed products. Experts have also expressed concern that information found online can be misleading or incomplete, particularly regarding side effects and safe usage. Worryingly, the same study that highlighted the trend found that 90% of users trust the GLP-1 information they find on social media.
The feeling of being unsupported is compounded by the practical challenges of the treatment. Many patients use informal methods like phone alarms or diaries to track their weekly doses, with more than half admitting to having missed or delayed an injection. This inconsistent adherence can affect the efficacy and safety of the treatment. In response to this support gap, some private companies are beginning to launch digital companion apps designed to help patients track doses, monitor symptoms, and access clinician-vetted advice between appointments.
As the rollout of these "game-changing" drugs continues, the challenge for the healthcare system will be to provide adequate support for the growing number of users. While the NHS is expanding access, including incentivising GPs to provide obesity care, the system is under pressure. Without structured, professional guidance to accompany prescriptions, patients may continue to navigate the complexities of these powerful medications through unreliable online sources, potentially exposing themselves to significant harm. Medical bodies continue to stress that these are serious medicines that require medical supervision, not cosmetic treatments to be sourced from the internet.
Source: dailystar