Asda Pharmacy is launching a ‘judgement-free’ disposal scheme across its 230 pharmacies for people who have bought unregulated products.
The scheme will offer people professional advice from a pharmacist and the opportunity for anyone who may have purchased a counterfeit product to safely dispose of it.
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Asda said that a new poll of GPs suggested that more people are being exposed to unregulated weight‑loss injections, with a growing number being sold weight-loss products outside regulated healthcare in gyms, beauty salons and over social media.
The research by Research Without Barriers (RWB), involving 267 GPs, found that one-in-four (25%) had treated a patient who ended up needing hospital care after taking unregulated medication.
And 86% of the GP respondents reported a rise in patients being offered unregulated medication over the past year.
Faisal Tuddy, head of Asda Pharmacy, said: ‘We know lots of our customers are looking for help managing their weight, and it’s important they feel confident they’re getting safe, trusted support.
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‘If anyone is unsure about something they’ve bought, we’d always encourage them to pop in and have a chat with a pharmacist. Our new service is all about giving customers peace of mind – helping them feel supported, informed and able to make safer choices, without any judgement.’
Meanwhile, an international survey of 5,000 people across the UK, the US, France and Germany which revealed that almost two thirds of people (60%) worry their medication could be fake.
More than a third (34%) of all respondents – and 40% of the UK respondents – also said they were concerned about the legitimacy of online pharmacies.
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Digital provider, The Care Pharmacy, has also reported an increase in customers who have been offered weight-loss medication outside regulated channels and been made aware of people trying to source or sell counterfeit products.
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