Death Related to black market weight loss Jabs in UK

[pavlovs]

While it is possible for her death to be due to semaglutide, both the presentation to hospital and her age, depression and obesity make death from other unrelated issues much more probable. I could not find any evidence that a cause of death has been released. Heart attack or pulmonary embolus are two common causes, in that age/risk group, that could give you pain and cyanosis and be fatal, but it could be due to a large number of other causes, including some that could be caused by semaglutide. The most likely semaglutide related causes would be pancreatitis or gallbladder stones with infection, but this does not fit as well with her described presentation to hospital. I guess sepsis from a subcutaneous injection is possible ( but very improbable ) but there would be obvious visible infection at the injection site. Semaglutide reduces the risk of heart attack, so it would be strange to blame it if that was the cause.

The thing that is odd is that someone, presumably the one giving the injection, has been charged with manslaughter. If her death were unrelated to her unlicensed treatment this would be hard to justify, and it indicates that the cause of death is known but they are not releasing it yet, and it is at least thought to be related to her treatment.

I may have helped a person obtain similar medication, as have many people on this forum. In the very unlikely, but possible, event of that person suffering a fatal adverse effect, having supplied a prescription medication to that person could leave you or me exposed to risks of prosecution. I am not sure how this would work in the US with their grey status but in places like the UK or Australia, they are definitely illegal to possess without a prescription. And giving or selling them to someone else would always be illegal.

I think that regardless how she died, the weight loss, especially if it was quick weight loss would be a "contributing factor" that could make the gal in the beauty shop open to prosecution, even if there was nothing wrong with semaglutide.

On a side note, very sadly my brother died at age 40 of a massive heart attack. In the days prior to his death, he said that he felt a little poorly, sluggish, and tired. The fourth day after feeling poorly, the person talking to him said that all of a sudden his face turned purple/blue and he hit the ground instantly. He died instantly. Other than just a a few days of feeling off, there were no warnings at all. (I'm not telling this for sympathy.)

Like DoohDah said, it could have been any of the commodities that killed her. The beauty shop gal is probably going down regardless of what really caused it. I hope that there is some follow-up.

 

[MsGizmo]

These two paragraphs from the story are very important:

The family has since been told Karen was not injected with tirzepatide, the drug known by the brand name Mounjaro; instead, she was administered semaglutide - a different weight loss drug, requiring a different dosage.

Karen’s family are awaiting further test results, but they believe the unlicensed weight-loss jabs were to blame for her death.

This wasn't caused by the grey market, this was caused by the woman being denied access to the real thing and being so desperate that she went to people who had no business doing what they were doing.

 

[MsGizmo]

GLP-1 have caused many death over last few years. Its well documented . But they are generally safe

Major issue Unlicensed beauticians and non-medical providers offering injections at beauty salons, spas, and homes without appropriate medical oversight

I won't deny that this is true. All the weight loss drugs have a risk even if that risk is low ... its still there.

BUT

Roughly 300,000 people die every year in the US from obesity related causes. There have only been about 500 documented GLP1 deaths in total in the US since they came to the market in 2005. 500 deaths is nothing compared to 6 million.

 

[JoonyO]

This wasn't caused by the grey market, this was caused by the woman being denied access to the real thing and being so desperate that she went to people who had no business doing what they were doing.

I concur.

 

[JoonyO]

I won't deny that this is true. All the weight loss drugs have a risk even if that risk is low ... its still there.

BUT

Roughly 300,000 people die every year in the US from obesity related causes. There have only been about 500 documented GLP1 deaths in total in the US since they came to the market in 2005. 500 deaths is nothing compared to 6 million.

But they don't make money from you being healthy now, do they? Better to keep you obese and on drugs that CAUSE OTHER problems ...that they then prescribe more drugs for THAT NEW problem.

What a racket.

 

[MsGizmo]

I don't believe she died from Sema. Maybe something else was in that vial or else things were not properly cleaned and she got a bacterial infection.

Well, it is possible that she had an obstructed bowel or pancreatitis. They are both known risks of GLP1 drugs that we should be aware of. Paying attention to your bowel movements is something worth thinking about. We should also know what to do if there is an issue.

It might sound odd ... but drinking (sugar free) cola can treat/help to prevent an obstructed bowel.

Carbonated soda treatment of phytobezoars - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[randompersonrandom]

I may have helped a person obtain similar medication, as have many people on this forum. In the very unlikely, but possible, event of that person suffering a fatal adverse effect, having supplied a prescription medication to that person could leave you or me exposed to risks of prosecution. I am not sure how this would work in the US with their grey status but in places like the UK or Australia, they are definitely illegal to possess without a prescription. And giving or selling them to someone else would always be illegal.

That's one of multiple reasons why I'll never so much as suggest my friends and family get into grey, and will never, ever procure for any of them. Not just legal responsibility, but what if they got sick from something I got them?

The exception is if I get hit by a bus with Tirz in my freezer. R, K, and S all have keys to my house and my mom knows they're clear to take anything they find in a thermos there if they want it. They're all three gracious, wonderful women and probably won't pull each other's hair over any of it.

 

[keangkong]

I agree and am also skeptical that this was a "fatal dose" of sema. I suspect it to be more likely related to underlying issues (those pesky comorbidities that we are all too familiar with) or other condition/event unrelated to sema. Hopefully the professionals who figure this stuff out won't be swayed by fearmongering or sympathy.

It's been a while since I've heard of one of those underground Botox "clinics" or pretend doctors injecting bovine fat for cosmetic reasons killing anyone, and have a feeling this may be a similar situation where whatever was being injected wasn't what anyone said or thought it was.

I'm an attorney. I remember a friend asking if I would recommend a medical malpractice attorney to sue a doctor because her friend's mother died supposedly due to medical malpractice. Before I could decide upon an attorney to recommend, I learned that the autopsy showed that the mother OD'd on a controlled substance. People die. It happens.

 

[EchoPale]

It says they spoke out 5 months after her passing, and that they were going after the beautician. Yet not stating the actual cause of death? Surely things would have moved along in that time frame for answers?

 

[keangkong]

It says they spoke out 5 months after her passing, and that they were going after the beautician. Yet not stating the actual cause of death? Surely things would have moved along in that time frame for answers?

Good. I had not originally noticed that it took five months before they went to the press. I also note that this appears to be a story pushed by the daughters as opposed to someone from the UK government warning of the dangers. I read that someone was arrested in connection to the death for supplying a "controlled substance" to another. https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/mum-53-dies-after-being-36128332. My brief research suggests that under UK law, a "controlled substance," as in the US, means something that is restricted by laws other than the just the general requirement that drug only be taken with a prescription. It appears that neither tirzepatide nor semaglutide are controlled substances. What was in the syringe? Amphetamines? That's one guess, based upon my personal experience. I have ADHD and started taking Adderall as an adult 24 years ago. Amphetamines will rapidly produce weight loss, although that's not permanent weight loss. The weight loss goes away over time.

The idea that a person taking semaglutide or tirzepatide, with or without a prescription, might die from the drug does not surprise me considering how widely these drugs are used. There are confirmed cases of people dying low doses of aspirin. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16086703/. There are confirmed cases of people dying from statins. I read on one site that 164 deaths from GLP-1 drugs have been reported to the US Federal Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS); I should emphasize that a FAERS report means that someone has reported a death supposedly caused by something. Entry into the FAERS system does not mean that there has been any determination by the government that the reported drug caused the death.

However, I very much doubt that this particular death was caused solely by injected of a GLP-1 drug.

 

[littledragon25]

The current ramp up and focus on illegal GLP1s in the UK is the reason I've placed one more order to stock up and lie low for a couple of years with everything I need. Hopefully it all blows over.

 

[Thistley]

Let’s get real. People actually do die from taking the legit approved manufacturers medication - which triggers acute pancreatitis. It’s rare. But there are a number of documented cases. It happens.

As someone else here previously said, many folk have underlying health conditions they may not have even known about.

That lady’s dose could have been low. Could have been the starter dose. Could have been 100% chemically identical sema. Not an overdose, not too much. Just the starter dose.

Article in BMJ from Feb quotes 82 GLP1 related deaths reported in UK.

GLP-1 agonists: 82 deaths linked to adverse reactions, UK data show

Data submitted to the UK drugs regulator show a total of 82 deaths related to glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists, the class of drugs used for weight loss and type 2 diabetes. Data from the yellow card scheme for reporting adverse events to the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory...

www.bmj.com

If you can’t access because of paywall

Weight loss drugs linked to dozens of deaths

The medical director of the NHS has warned of the side effects of weight loss drugs after figures revealed the number of deaths associated with the jabs

www.independent.co.uk

TLDR: The data show 18 deaths linked to tirzepatide (Mounjaro), of which 10 were linked to its use relating to weight loss and eight to its indication for type 2 diabetes.

A total of 29 reported deaths were related to semaglutide (Ozempic, Rybelsus, Wegovy), four to its use for weight loss and 25 to type 2 diabetes. A further 35 deaths were reported linked to liraglutide (Saxenda, Victoza): eight to weight loss and 27 to type 2 diabetes.

An FOI request put the numbers in June at over 100

Condolences to the families who have lost someone they loved.

 

[keangkong]

Let’s get real. People actually do die from taking the legit approved manufacturers

Article in BMJ from Feb quotes 82 GLP1 related deaths reported in UK.

GLP-1 agonists: 82 deaths linked to adverse reactions, UK data show

Data submitted to the UK drugs regulator show a total of 82 deaths related to glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists, the class of drugs used for weight loss and type 2 diabetes. Data from the yellow card scheme for reporting adverse events to the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory...

www.bmj.com

If you can’t access because of paywall

Weight loss drugs linked to dozens of deaths

The medical director of the NHS has warned of the side effects of weight loss drugs after figures revealed the number of deaths associated with the jabs

www.independent.co.uk

TLDR: The data show 18 deaths linked to tirzepatide (Mounjaro), of which 10 were linked to its use relating to weight loss and eight to its indication for type 2 diabetes.

A total of 29 reported deaths were related to semaglutide (Ozempic, Rybelsus, Wegovy), four to its use for weight loss and 25 to type 2 diabetes. A further 35 deaths were reported linked to liraglutide (Saxenda, Victoza): eight to weight loss and 27 to type 2 diabetes.

An FOI request put the numbers in June at over 100

Condolences to the families who have lost someone they loved.

Here is a paywall-free link to the article that appear in the British Medical Journal on GLP-1 deaths in the UK: Iacobucci (2025). GLP-1 agonists - 82 deaths linked to adverse reactions, UK data show. Brit. Med. J. 388, r390, https://1drv.ms/b/c/d63cedb6db1eefc3/Ecic5FOEGxtEqsn_jc74aOIBWX6YqBmBLCobvC5yRFSXNQ?e=MggbVV.

 

[keangkong]

Article in BMJ from Feb quotes 82 GLP1 related deaths reported in UK.