A survey commissioned by LloydsPharmacy Online Doctor (survey size n=2,000, of those 285 are current and active users of GLP-1s for weight loss and 216 have recently stopped) found that 28% (n=140) of those surveyed who were using or had previously used weight-loss injections had knowingly bought from unlicensed sellers, 12% (n=60) think they may have done, and 20% (n=100) bought drugs that are unlicensed and untested for weight loss in the UK
These patents, covering a broad family of derivative compounds of semaglutide, are conceived to prevent competitors from developing related drugs that could compete with Novo Nordisks products on the market
The injectable GLP-1s do have a fairly long half-life, of about four or so weeks
In the year 2020, scientists Frias et al
For weight loss, they may help patients feel full sooner, reduce hunger, and eat smaller portions as part of a medically supervised program
Reference: Addressing the risk of ocular complications of GLP-1RAs