It has joined up with other regulators to make it clear that adverts for prescription-only medicines for weight management are illegal.
The General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) has issued a joint enforcement notice making clear that adverts for named prescription-only medicines for weight management are prohibited.
The GPhC, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) and the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) are working together to remind advertisers of the rules and that action will be taken to tackle such ads targeted at people in the UK.
“It is vital that people receive prescription-only medicines, such as those used for weight management, only after having an appropriate consultation, and when their prescriber has independently verified that the medicines are clinically appropriate for them,” said chief enforcement officer at the GPhC, Dionne Spence.
Prompt and proportionate action
The notice applies to adverts on platforms including social media (such as Facebook, Instagram and TikTok), as well as influencer marketing which involve brands working with individuals who recommend products to their followers, and sponsored adverts that appear on search engines such as Google.
Advertisers are being warned that the ASA’s AI-based Advertising Monitoring system is being used actively to scan for ads that breach the enforcement notice.
GPhC guidance states that pharmacy owners and the superintendent pharmacist, if there is one, must follow the law and guidance on the advertising and promotion of medicines. Failing to comply with these standards could result in the GPhC taking enforcement action. This could be against the pharmacy, the pharmacy owner, the superintendent pharmacist, or all three. They could also investigate the fitness to practise of all the pharmacy professionals involved.
“We will be working closely with our regulatory partners to ensure that prompt and proportionate action is taken where necessary to protect the public,” said Spence.
