A shadow market for unlicensed slimming medications is being driven by TikTok fitness influencers and vendors on communication apps, based on recent findings.
Retatrutide, which remains in clinical trials, is being advertised by social media influencers for its alleged weight-reducing effects. Viewers are encouraged to contact these profiles privately for source information, while also obtaining discount codes.
Separately, a robust trade exists on Telegram, where groups with numerous of participants share “before and after” photos, injection guides and assertions of rapid British shipping. Vendors market the drug there before directing buyers to other platforms for purchases.
This medication is an experimental injection created by American pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly. The treatment affects three intestinal hormones – glucagon-like peptide-1, GIP and glucagon. Early trials indicate it could assist individuals reduce up to 25% of their total weight. Nicknamed the “triple G”, the substance is being hailed online as the next Ozempic.
However, physicians and chemists have warned that the sale of what remains an unapproved medication in the United Kingdom is worrisome and could lead to individuals administering substances of unknown origin.
Several professionals stated the popularity for retatrutide could be linked to the rising price of licensed slimming treatments such as Mounjaro.
Selling retatrutide on TikTok or Telegram is illegal in the United Kingdom, as it is an unlicensed drug that cannot be promoted or distributed for personal consumption under the British medical regulations.
Several content creators attempt to sidestep the regulations by referring to the drug as a “research chemical” or describing it as “not for human consumption”. Retatrutide is not a controlled substance, but advertising and supply can still violate medicines, marketing, and customer regulations, risking penalties, legal action or prison.
According to the social media company, the platform has removed problematic material and prohibited associated hashtags and search suggestions. The company stated it was committed to keeping the platform secure and allocating resources in strengthening compliance measures.
Research also found groups with up to 9,000 members selling retatrutide using the platform's built-in search feature, which operates like a public directory. Typing “retatrutide” instantly brings up groups with thousands of users, filled with images of slimming results, glowing testimonials and detailed guides for mixing or administering at home.
Within minutes of entering one community, a seller shared contact information, where the majority of purchases take place. The seller provided an instruction manual and promised delivery within 48 hours. When asked whether the product was genuine, one vendor responded: “You can’t be sure.” Another shared a photo of a alleged testing documentation. None inquired about body mass, medical conditions or past usage.
Inside these groups, messages show dark colored parcels with Royal Mail stickers, claiming to include fresh supplies. One communication stated: “It took eight of us to load them this morning.”
Buyers can select between dry substance containers, prepared at home with sterile water, or pre-filled pens usually priced at 160 pounds for 20mg. When questioned how much time a injector should be used, sellers give contradictory answers varying between a few weeks to “depends on your body”.
A spokesperson for the messaging service stated it regularly monitored harmful material on its platform including content that encouraged the “misuse of controlled medications”. The company added that it removed “millions of pieces of harmful content each day”.
“Individuals are injecting substances they can’t verify. Even if the science behind this drug is valid, these digital versions may not include what they advertise,” said a pharmacy expert, the director of pharmaceutical services at a pharmacy service.
A medical professional of an online medical service connected the surge in demand to recent price rises for authorized slimming drugs such as Mounjaro. “With prices rising, patients are using social media. But counterfeit treatments are highly risky. You cannot know what’s contained or whether the environment they were made in was clean,” she explained.
Her staff has previously encountered patients harmed by self-injection from unverified sources. “We understand the frustration, but purchasing from Telegram or communication platforms is gambling with your well-being,” stated Wyllie. “These materials could be impure or improperly measured.”
A spokesperson from Eli Lilly stated the substance was in phase 3 research studies and had not been evaluated or authorized by any regulatory agency globally. “Therefore at this time no one can sell [it] for human use,” they explained, noting that any item “misleadingly claiming itself as a company experimental product not yet approved … may expose patients to possibly serious medical dangers”.
Maya Chen is a tech journalist and lifestyle blogger with over a decade of experience covering digital trends and cultural shifts.
