Publisher Health

UK High Street chemists are set to sell customers a controversial weight loss jab used by some famous people, including Twitter owner Elon Musk.

Wegovy, or semaglutide, is a prescription drug that blunts appetite.

It has the same ingredient as Ozempic – a diabetes medicine said to be Hollywood’s “skinny shot” of choice.

Experts warn it is not a quick fix or a replacement for eating well and exercising, and should only be offered under medical supervision.

Boots says it will be able to offer the full service – prescribing and dispensing the drug.

Superdrug and Lloyds Pharmacy have online pages where people can register their interest in Wegovy.

Like any medication, there can be side effects and risks.

The most common ones are nausea or an upset stomach, bloating and gas.

According to Vogue, users might also get a gaunt “Ozempic face” if rapid weight loss leads to volume loss in the cheeks.

Retailers have not said how much the service will cost, but according to draft guidelines for the NHS, the list price for a month’s supply of four pre-filled disposable injection pens is £73.25. An agreed price for the NHS has not been disclosed, however.

The guidance also says people should only stay on the medication for a maximum of two years.

You need to be overweight or obese to be able to go on it, and it must be prescribed by a doctor.

Some High Street chemists will start offering an online service once the drug, made by Novo Nordisk, becomes available in the UK.

It mimics the action of a hormone, called GLP-1, that makes people feel fuller and less hungry, so they eat less.

People on it inject themselves once a week with pre-filled pens.

In trials, used alongside a healthy diet and exercise, semaglutide helped obese people lose a 10th of their body weight – about two stone (12.7kg) on average.

But researchers have also found that once users come off it they might regain most of the weight.

A spokesperson at Boots said: “It can be an effective medicine to achieve sustained weight loss when used alongside a reduced calorie diet, increased physical activity and healthy lifestyle choices. It will be available from Boots Online Doctor, with an anticipated launch of spring 2023.

“The Boots Online Doctor Weight Loss Treatment service is for customers who are worried that their weight is impacting their health. Customers will have access to treatment following their completion of an online consultation form, which will be assessed by a clinician.

“Those who are offered treatment will receive follow-up touchpoints and support from the Boots Online Doctor service throughout their weight loss journey, and can access advice and support from our pharmacy teams in stores.”

Tom Quinn from the eating disorder charity Beat said: “Wegovy or other weight-loss medications should only be sold under the strictest possible conditions, with stringent physical and mental health checks to ensure patients are well enough.

“These medications can be very attractive to people with eating disorders as they seemingly offer a ‘quick fix’ solution, however there is a very high risk of making those affected even more unwell and can further entrench eating disorder thoughts and behaviours. It is vital that people are aware of the dangers of abusing medication in order to lose weight and there should be more education on their effects.”