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4th July 2024
04:49pm BST
Weight loss injections are more popular than ever before, but it isn't because doctors are seeing an increase in patients.
People in Ireland are able to legally get weight loss injections online.
According to The Irish Mirror, online pharmacies are asking customers to fill in a form and then send them a photo of them on a weighing scale.
They're also asking people to send photos of their bodies before they issue the prescription. This is done to prove their BMI is over 30.
The patients do not speak to the doctor over the phone or in person, the publication confirmed.
Weight loss injections have grown in popularity this year after multiple Hollywood stars revealed major transformations due to using Ozempic.
People like Kelly Clarkson, Sharon Osbourne, and Oprah have all opened up about using weight loss injections to help them lose weight, but the body-positive community has urged the public not to fall for the toxic trend.
The glamourisation of Ozempic has fooled many already vulnerable people into thinking they need to be a certain weight to be accepted.
Ozempic is legal in Ireland but it is mainly used to treat Type 2 diabetes. It was first approved by the HSE in 2018, but many believe it should be used to tackle the obesity crisis in Ireland.
The HPRA has urged the public to steer clear of purchasing this medication online.
"Despite how they may be promoted or presented, it is not safe to purchase prescription medicines online and doing so puts your health at risk,” Ms Power continued.
“It is always best to seek advice from a healthcare professional about any health concerns or symptoms you may have. We strongly urge consumers to source their prescription medicines through the standard practice of accessing a prescription from your doctor, which is dispensed through your local pharmacy," the HPRA told The Irish Mirror.
Ozempic and similar medications mimic the function of the GLP-1 hormone.
The weekly injection is used to manage a person’s blood glucose levels as well as their HbA1c.
Ozempic injections help increase the levels of incretins. This hormone helps your body to produce more insulin when it is needed.
It also stops the liver from overproducing glucose.
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