A critical alert has been released concerning unauthorized weight loss medications following the death of a man who used a drug not yet approved for safety and effectiveness.
In recent years, drugs such as Wegovy have gained popularity as more individuals seek novel methods for weight reduction.
Although there are clear advantages to using approved weight loss medications, the industry also has a less favorable side involving drugs not sanctioned for public use.
Retatrutide, a product of Eli Lilly, is currently undergoing clinical trials and lacks official approval for public use.
According to the manufacturer’s website: “Retatrutide is an investigational molecule available only to participants in Lilly’s clinical trials, where its safety and efficacy are still being evaluated. It has not been approved by any regulatory agency, and no one should take anything claiming to be retatrutide outside of a Lilly-sponsored clinical trial.
“Illicit retatrutide products may contain unknown ingredients, harmful contaminants and impurities.”
A report from the Daily Mail indicated that a man in his 30s in the UK had passed away after using the unapproved medication.
The report suggests that the man experienced complications following the drug’s use, with the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) documenting 77 reported side effects associated with retatrutide in the past year.
It’s important to clarify that these side effects were not definitively linked to retatrutide, nor has the British man’s death been conclusively attributed to the medication. The records simply show patients reported side effects while using the weight loss drug.
Naveed Sattar, a professor of cardiometabolic medicine at the University of Glasgow, raised alarms about the availability of retatrutide on the black market.
He stated: “No one in the UK should be on a drug that is not licensed or has not been approved by MHRA.
“People need to be very wary of something that’s been sold to them called retatrutide because it is likely not retatrutide.
“They could be injecting into their body any substance that could potentially cause them harm.
“I would urge people not to buy things that are not licensed and not from proper manufacturers. Otherwise, you could be putting yourself into harm’s way.”
Eli Lilly provided a statement to the Mail: “Retatrutide is an investigational, once-weekly, triple hormone receptor agonist, which activates the body’s receptors for glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP), glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), and glucagon.
“It is an investigational molecule that is legally available only to participants in Lilly’s clinical trials. It has not been reviewed or approved by any regulatory agency in the world.
“No one should consider taking anything claiming to be retatrutide outside of a Lilly-sponsored clinical trial. The company continues to warn the public about the potential dangers of fake medicines.”
UNILAD has contacted Eli Lilly for further comments.