The Bodyline team have been reacting to the news that pharmacy leaders have been issuing fresh warnings over the online sale of weight-loss jabs, insisting there is still a risk to patient safety. Access to the weight-loss jabs through these well-known online pharmacies is set to be tightened up, as a crack down on unsafe prescribing and misuse of the medical weight loss medications have continued to rise. Experts are continuing to express their concern however, and many believe more has to be done.
This comes after the National Pharmacy Association (NPA) called for tougher rules on prescribing practices, as they became aware of people whose weight and body fat percentage was already in the healthy range, or even people with a history of eating disorders, were being wrongly prescribed the drugs.
To remediate these problems, the NPA argued that a two-way consultation with the patient that should take at least 20 minutes is what is required as opposed to faceless and unverifiable online questionnaires available for the general public to access the injections that include Wegovy and Mounjaro.
And as a result, the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC), a body that regulates pharmacies and pharmacists across England, Scotland and Wales, has said it will be tightening the rules to combat this concerning misuse.
At Bodyline we vehemently welcome these changes. A huge proponent of our services is the nurse-led support and clinical excellence, ensuring that our prescribing practices, patient journey, and holistic approach works to provide a service that clients know is safe and fully supported.
Online questionnaires will never take into account a person’s lifestyle or their individual needs, and cannot justifiably and verifiably ensure that the patient is receiving care that they need. Whether that be safe prescriptions of medical weight loss injections, referrals to other medical weight loss medications when that patient is ineligible, or simply offering a supported and guided weight health service.
Bodyline Clinic has been supporting patients with supported medical weight loss treatment programmes for close to two decades, offering nurse-led guidance and clinical support to over 100,000 people that use out services. With established safety practices and regulated the Care Quality Commission, Bodyline doesn’t go off a simple questionnaire when prescribing life altering medications – it’s consultations and a built up relationship of trust and understanding that allows our clients to break away from a cycle of weight loss and weight gain, to build habits that will last them a lifetime and the confidence to take with them into the future.
Support can’t be negotiable
The new guidance for medical weight loss jabs stresses that all online prescribing must come with a means by which the patient and prescriber has timely two-way communication. However, communication cannot be a one stop shop, ending after the medication is given, and while the NPA suggest a 20 minute consultation before prescribing, we’d argue that the process requires a lot more than a single 20 minute chat.
With high instances of weight regain following cessation of the medication, the aim of the provider should be to offer a solution that doesn’t just change a patient’s life, but can ensure that change is sustainable for the rest of their life. Regular communication with expert nurses and clinical specialists throughout the process has been our trademark within all our gold standard treatment programmes, which has ensured our patients have not just lost the weight, but kept it off long after they come off the medication.
Support isn’t just a check-in, it’s advice about nutrition, exercise, and building habits – all of which are personalised to our patients. The nurses at Bodyline build positive and memorable relationships with each and every client to ensure the service they receive is not just individual to them, but holistic – that is, encompassing every element of their life to ensure the care they are being provided with works exactly how they need it to.
It ensures red flags about side effects and mental health responses don’t go missed. It enables any questions or queries can be answered in a timely manner. But what the support does most is build patients up to their optimum health levels, not just for the visual benefits of weight loss, but for the long-term goals and wide-ranging health advantages. We don’t just seek to help our patients get back into a dress, we help them play with their grandchildren, run after their dogs, experience new memories, and reach higher limits. Support isn’t just about patient safety – though that is a huge reason behind it – support is about helping patients become the best people they can be, and that’s not done with just one weight loss jab.
No magic solution
Medical weight loss jabs don’t work as if by magic. They are prescription medications, highly regulated, and only eligible to combat obesity, and mimic hormones in the body to prevent overeating. However, when they aren’t used alongside a proper diet and exercise regime, the benefits can be short-lived.
Mounjaro contains the active ingredient tirzepatide, while WeGovy contains semaglutide.
Tirzepatide mimics the effects of two hormones that are naturally produced in the body, these are glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptides (GIP) and glucagon-like-peptides 1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists. Semaglutide just mimics GLP-1 receptor agonists but works in a similar way. Both GLP-1s and GIPs are released in the gut and help to control appetite, blood sugar, and insulin.
When used alongside a diet and exercise plan, the once weekly injections are designed to assist individuals in maintaining a calorie deficit over a long period of time, and boost healthy, life changing habits. When used without the proper guidance, the medication works to reduce food intake only which can cause serious harm for those who aren’t eligible, and those with a history of eating disorders.
With access to regulated medications through online questionnaires being so widespread, the instances of misuse and hospitalisations have skyrocketed, placing even more pressure on an NHS that is already spread thin. The medications should not be treated like magic solutions to weight loss alone, but rather a way for those with physiological barriers to escape the clutches of obesity when all other options seem futile.
At Bodyline, we provide patients with a way to sustainably lose weight thanks to the aid of medical weight loss like WeGovy, Mounjaro, and Phentermine, but a lot of what we do comes from the support we offer to ensure the results are maximised with the proper lifestyle changes, and maintained with the appropriate habits built up over time.
Contact Bodyline today to find out more about our safe and effective weight loss programmes and range of treatment options.
Maintenance matters
It’s also very important to acknowledge the requirements of many patients to be given a maintenance dose of weight loss jabs to ensure the benefits of their weight loss can be maintained, particularly when their battle with obesity is due to physical ailments completely out of their control.
So many patients may require continued use of the medication for a long time after achieving their healthy weight and wellness goals due to the fact that their bodies are no longer able to produce the GLP-1 hormones naturally. This may be the case if the patient is pre-diabetic, or their weight is impacted by other hormonal imbalances or medical problems.
Maintenance also needs to be monitored to an extent, to ensure that the patient is still responding to the medication and doesn’t regain the weight or fall back into old habits. One 20 minute consultation at the start of their weight loss journey can never account for that.
Bodyline’s services go well beyond the weight loss itself. Nurses and clinical specialists provide the answers to personal questions, responses to unique concerns, and continued support even when the road feels tough ahead.
Bodyline works, Bodyline cares
Speaking to medical professionals who can provide accurate advice and guidance on eligibility before offering a prescription is absolutely vital for patient safety, however continued supervision and monitoring of the medication’s effects is just as important.
At Bodyline, we only provide medications to those who are eligible when they sign up to a fully supported medical weight loss programme that includes regular check-ups, weigh ins, and support calls.
Don’t just take our word for it. Our trustpilot reviews show a breadth of happy clients who have used our services safely and effectively. Our 17 years of experience in the obesity treatment sector mean you can trust us to provide gold standard weight loss therapy treatments.
Bodyline’s weight loss programmes provide comprehensive support, tailored treatment plans, and ongoing guidance to help individuals on their weight health journey. If you’re ready to take control of your weight loss goals, contact Bodyline today at 0800 995 6036 or fill in an online contact form for a call back to learn more about our personalised weight loss programmes.
