Pharmacist shares five warning signs your fat jab is FAKE after mother-of-two died from black market weight-loss meds

Slimmers have been urged to watch out for fake weight loss jabs after the death of a mother who was injected with a drug bought on the black market

Karen McGonigal, 53, died days after she was illegally administered a dose of semaglutide — the powerful ingredient behind Ozempic and Wegovy — in May. 

Her three daughters said the 53-year-old had become ‘desperate’ to lose weight after a long-term relationship ended, and a beautician had offered weight loss injections for £20 each.

Ms McGonigal, from Salford in Greater Manchester, had tried to get the jab on the NHS but was deemed ineligible.

Under strict health service criteria, only those who are seriously overweight and have other health conditions including diabetes or high blood pressure, are eligible for  prescription. 

Ffion, Ms McGonigal’s youngest daughter, told ITV News the beautician took her mother into a back room, where she was injected with a syringe.

‘No preparation, no cleaning, nothing. She’d give it to my mum, my mum would pay her, and she’d be out in three minutes,’ she said. 

While Ms McGonigal did lose weight, four days after her last injection, she started to experience severe stomach pains and breathing difficulties. 

But despite being rushed to hospital, she spent two days in intensive care before her family were told there was nothing more doctors could do. 

Her daughters said they had now chosen to speak publicly in the hope other lives are not lost in the same way. 

Huge global demand for the drugs has seen counterfeit versions flood the market in recent years. 

Experts have repeatedly warned Britons against buying the jabs on social media, via beauticians or scam online retailers posing as pharmacies, over fears they may be selling contaminated versions.

Doctors have also told how patients have suffered seizures and have even been left in comas after taking fake versions.

Last week, the UK’s medicines watchdog, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), revealed it had seized more than a quarter of a million pounds worth of fake slimming jabs in the world’s largest ever drugs bust. 

The site, on an industrial estate on the outskirts of Northampton, is believed to have been used for the large-scale manufacture, packaging, and distribution of unlicensed weight loss products to customers. 

Now, pharmacists have shared the five most common red flags that suggest a weight loss injection may not in fact be the real thing. 

‘Flimsy’ materials  

According to Jason Murphy, head of pharmacy at Chemist4U, appearance is a tell-tale giveaway a pen could not be legitimate. 

‘While real weight loss pens come in well-designed packaging with clear, high-quality printing and branding, packaging for fake pens may have spelling mistakes, blurry printing or incorrect logos,’ he says.

Materials used in legitimate Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro pens, feel solid and well made, a fake injection pen ‘is likely to feel cheap and flimsy’, he adds.

They may also have more obvious flaws like uneven colouring, rough edges or loose parts.

Missing information 

Real injection pens typically have unique serial numbera proving they are legitimate products. 

‘Fake products either won’t have one that matches the manufacturer’s records or won’t have one at all,’ Mr Murphy said. 

The packaging the injection arrives in or the jab’s information leaflet will also likely contain spelling or grammatical errors, Dr Bhavini Shah, a GP for LloydsPharmacy Online Doctor, says. 

‘Never take any medications where the packaging appears to be opened or poorly made or is missing an expiry date or information leaflet.’

‘Cloudy’ colour  

A real weight loss injection pen should contain liquid that is clear and colourless. 

But unknown substances in fraudulent pens can often look cloudy or are tinged with colour, ‘a dead giveaway that they are fake’, Mr Murphy says.

Often it is difficult to tell exactly what the pen contains. 

Hospitals, however, have identified the presence of insulin instead of semaglutide in some fake weight loss injections, which has led to critically low blood sugar and comas. 

Chemical analysis of fake jabs has also flagged contaminants including rat poison, arsenic, cement and mercury.

Anyone who suspects they may not have a genuine product should report it via the MHRA’s yellow card scheme and also contact their GP, Dr Shah says. 

The scheme, set up in the 1960s, allows doctors, pharmacists and patients themselves to report adverse reactions believed to be caused by prescription and over-the-counter drugs, implants and alternative medicines.

‘If more severe symptoms of low blood sugar occur, such as seizures and loss of consciousness, call 999 immediately,’ Dr Shah adds. 

Unlicensed medical professionals 

Wegovy, Ozempic and Mounjaro are prescription-only medicines and they can only be issued by specialised medical professionals after a consultation. 

To obtain the medication legitimately, patients must be asked about their medical history, weight and to provide photos to ensure that the information shared is accurate. 

‘This is all to ensure the medication is safe and the right choice for you,’ Mr Murphy says. 

‘Steer clear of any weight loss injections advertised on social media, in salons and even online by some unlicensed pharmacies,’ he adds.

‘For peace of mind, check that the pharmacy is regulated by the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) and the MHRA before you commit.’

Bulk buying  

Under UK regulation, bulk buying weight loss pens is not possible, to prevent patients taking the wrong dose of the drug or not monitoring for side effects properly. 

Ozempic, Mounjaro and Wegovy all require proper storage and buying in bulk increases the chance it will be stored improperly, reducing effectiveness or making it unsafe, experts warn. 

‘You should store an unused pen in the refrigerator between 2 to 8 degrees,’ Mr Murphy says. 

‘Make sure you protect the medicine from light so keeping in its packaging, and if you place it at the back of your fridge, ensure it doesn’t freeze, and if it does, discard the pen.’

For Mounjaro, once opened the pen can be stored at room temperature — up to 30C — and should be discarded after four weekly doses, or if more than 30 days have passed since first use. 

Ozempic and Wegovy, meanwhile, should remain refrigerated.  

‘It’s important to always check the expiry date on the pen’s packaging,’ Mr Murphy says.

‘The expiry date is stated on the pen label and on the carton.’