Woman hospitalised after unregulated skinny jab from informal network

Sarah Whitmore, 32, of Fallowfield, Manchester, spent five nights in intensive care last month after injecting herself with a compounded semaglutide solution purchased via a personal contact. The liquid, marketed as a "skinny jab," was not prescribed or regulated by the UK’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), leaving Whitmore with anaphylactic shock. "I thought I was buying something safe because it came from someone who knew someone," she told this paper. "Now I’m fighting for my life—and it’s not worth the risk."

Whitmore’s case has prompted Greater Manchester Police and the MHRA to launch an urgent investigation into the underground supply of prescription weight-loss drugs. Data from the National Poisons Information Service shows a 400% rise in semaglutide-related enquiries in the last six months, with many linked to unregulated channels. "These drugs are not safe outside clinical oversight," said Dr. Eleanor Cross, a consultant endocrinologist at Manchester Royal Infirmary. "Patients risk contamination, incorrect dosing, or life-threatening allergies."

Investigators have traced the source of Whitmore’s injection to a private WhatsApp group where sellers operate under aliases. The group, active since January, has over 1,200 members across the UK. Sources say suppliers source raw semaglutide from unlicensed labs in Eastern Europe and compound it locally without sterility controls. "It’s a ticking time bomb," said a senior MHRA enforcement officer who requested anonymity. "People are playing Russian roulette with their health."

Whitmore’s ordeal began on April 12 when she felt severe chest tightness within minutes of her injection. Paramedics found her pulse at 140 beats per minute and her blood pressure dangerously low. She was intubated and given adrenaline before being stabilised. "I blacked out thinking I was going to die," she recalled. "My partner had to perform CPR before the ambulance arrived."

The MHRA has issued a public alert, urging anyone with semaglutide purchased outside the NHS to return it to a pharmacy immediately. It has also stepped up raids on unlicensed clinics in London and Birmingham suspected of selling counterfeit or adulterated drugs. Meanwhile, Whitmore is recovering but warns others: "One mistake turned my life upside down. Don’t let it be yours."

Experts say the surge in demand for semaglutide—trademarked as Ozempic and Wegovy—has outpaced supply, driving people toward risky alternatives. The NHS has struggled to meet demand for obesity treatment, leaving a gap that unregulated suppliers have exploited. "This is a public health crisis," said Professor Linda Haywood of the University of Salford. "The black market is filling a void with poison."

The MHRA is working with social media platforms to shut down accounts promoting unregulated weight-loss drugs. It has also warned pharmacies to report any unusual sales of semaglutide vials. Whitmore’s family has launched a crowdfunding page to cover her medical bills and mental health support. "I just want to warn people," she said. "No shortcut is worth your life."