UK seizes record haul of illegal weight-loss drugs in factory raid

Britain's medicines regulator on Friday said it had made the largest single seizure of trafficked weight loss medicines recorded globally, dismantling a factory making thousands of unlicensed weight-loss jabs. (X/@press_newswire)
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  • MHRA said it had seized 2,000 pens labelled as containing tirzepatide and retatrutide
  • The agency said the factory in central England was the first of its kind discovered in Britain

LONDON: Britain’s medicines regulator on Friday said it had made the largest single seizure of trafficked weight loss medicines recorded globally, dismantling a factory making thousands of unlicensed weight-loss jabs.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) said it had seized 2,000 pens labelled as containing tirzepatide and retatrutide — drugs not approved for weight loss in the UK — tens of thousands of empty pens, and raw chemicals.

The agency said the factory in central England was the first of its kind discovered in Britain.
“This is a victory in the fight against the shameless criminals who are putting lives at risk by peddling dangerous and illegal weight loss jabs to make a quick buck,” health minister Wes Streeting said in a statement.
“These unregulated products, made with no regard for safety or quality, posed a major risk to unwitting customers.”