Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 21 July 2025 to Question 67568 on Obesity: Drugs, what steps he is taking to ensure that patients accessing weight loss medications through private online platforms undergo appropriate clinical assessments and safeguarding procedures.

Prescribers, whether National Health Service or private, are accountable for their prescribing decisions, and are expected to take account of appropriate national guidance.

In addition to the duty of the prescriber, patients themselves must be honest when providing information to an online prescriber so that they receive advice and medicines which are appropriate for them and so that risks can be managed. Prescribers need full information to be able to prescribe safely.

In February 2025, the General Pharmaceutical Council published updated guidance for online pharmacies. Prescribers are expected to verify the information given to them by the patient to ensure any medicines prescribed are appropriate, for example, through a video consultation, using a patient’s clinical record, or contacting the patient’s general practice. This helps to safeguard vulnerable patients, including minors.