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22
May
Weight-loss jab warning in North Yorkshire after woman taken to intensive care
Health leaders in North Yorkshire have issued a warning about weight-loss jabs after a woman was hospitalised.
The woman, from Selby, was taken to intensive care after using a weight-loss jab allegedly sourced from a local salon. She has since been discharged.
Two other people are also known to have become unwell.
North Yorkshire Police was notified by health professionals, and an investigation is underway.
A police statement today said:
Two women aged 32 and 37, were arrested on suspicion of causing / administering a poison / noxious thing and have been released on police bail. The third woman, aged 58, was arrested on suspicion of selling or supplying a prescription only medicine. She has been released while under investigation. All the women are from the Selby area.
The woman who used the injection was admitted to hospital earlier this month and treated in intensive care for suspected internal injuries. She has since been discharged.
Detectives launched an investigation after being notified by health professionals on 7 May 2025.
'Contents may not match the ingredients'
The incident prompted local health leaders and the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency to warn people today about the risks of using unregulated weight loss medicines, bought from private clinics or online.
They said in a press release that buying products from unregulated suppliers “significantly increases the risk of getting a product which is either falsified or not licensed for use in the UK and can pose a direct danger to health”.
Laura Angus, chief pharmacy officer at NHS Humber and North Yorkshire Integrated Care Board, which oversees spending on NHS funds, said:
There has been a lot of attention in the media and on social media about these so-called skinny jabs, but as with any medicines bought outside of legitimate supply chains, the contents may not match the ingredients on the label.
If you use such products, you could be putting your health at serious risk.
If you are thinking of buying a weight-loss medicine, please talk to a healthcare professional first. The only way to guarantee you receive a genuine weight-loss medicine is to obtain it from a legitimate pharmacy – including those trading online – using a prescription issued by a healthcare professional.
We would also advise patients to check the legitimacy of the pharmacy and ensure it is regulated with the General Pharmaceutical Council.
Each pharmacy has a registration number that can be checked with the GPhC at www.pharmacyregulation.org.
Cllr Michael Harrison, North Yorkshire Council’s executive member for health and adult services, who represents Killinghall, Hampsthwaite and Saltergate, added:
We would encourage people to pursue their health goals in a safe way.
You can access lots of free tools to support you to make healthy changes, including getting active and losing weight, on the NHS Better Health website.
Multiple anti-obesity medicines, such as Ozempic, have been tested in clinical trials and are proven to be safe and effective by the NHS.
However, they are only available on prescription for specific patients and are administered through specialist weight management services which also includes diet and exercise.
Andy Morling, the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency’s deputy director of criminal enforcement said:
Weight loss medicines are powerful medications and should only be used under the supervision of a qualified healthcare professional.
For more information about weight-loss drugs, including the side effects, click here.
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