Wait, aren’t pharmacies allowed to advertise?

Not really. In the UK, prescription-only medicines (like Mounjaro, Ozempic, and Wegovy) can’t be advertised directly to the public. Pharmacies are allowed to share information responsibly, but the line between “informing” and “promoting” is strict.

That means no glossy ads, no “slim-pen” slogans, and no time-pressured marketing tactics. And with supply already stretched, anything that fuels stockpiling or switching for the wrong reasons is a red flag.

What this means if you’re on a GLP-1

For patients, the main takeaway is this: you should never feel pressured to change medication or buy in bulk because of a marketing message.

• If you’re considering switching from Mounjaro to another GLP-1, that’s a conversation for you and your prescribing professional, not something triggered by an email offer.

• If you see pharmacies pushing “buy now” or “last chance” messages, that’s exactly what the GPhC is warning against.

This doesn’t change your access to treatment, but it may mean you start seeing fewer of those promotional messages in your inbox or on pharmacy websites.

Why it matters

GLP-1s are already a lightning rod for attention, from social media hype to celebrity mentions. Add in price hikes, shortages, and supply drama, and the potential for misinformation grows. The GPhC’s move is about protecting patients from panic-driven choices and making sure safety stays front and centre.

As the regulator put it, advertising medicines is “not compatible with a pharmacy’s role to provide safe and effective care.” In plain English: your health isn’t a sales pitch.

If you’ve been following the chaos around Mounjaro’s recent price hikes, you’ll know the weight-loss jab world has been buzzing with confusion, frustration, and a fair bit of panic buying. Now the UK regulator has stepped in, warning pharmacies not to push their luck when it comes to advertising slimming pens.

Who’s stepping in and why?

The General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC), which regulates pharmacies across Great Britain, has issued a warning about how some companies are marketing weight-loss injections.

Why? Because when Mounjaro’s list price shot up by around 170% on September 1, some pharmacies started sending out “switch now” messages (encouraging patients to move from Mounjaro to alternatives like Ozempic or Wegovy) or “stock up before the price rise” offers.

The GPhC says this kind of advertising risks misleading patients and puts commercial gain ahead of safety. Pharmacies receiving lots of complaints about this type of messaging are already under review.