With public and media interest in prescription-only weight-loss medicines at unprecedented levels, the UK Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), and other regulators have intensified coordinated enforcement of longstanding rules prohibiting the advertising of these medicines to the public.
Yet many GP practices may still be breaching the rules unintentionally through website content, social media posts, or patient communications. As regulated healthcare professionals, GPs are likely to be held to a higher standard of accountability than non-clinical business owners, with increasing regulatory focus on individual practitioners as well as organisations.
Recent enforcement action has moved beyond informal warnings towards criminal prosecution, fitness-to-practise referrals, and public naming of non-compliant providers. Understanding where legitimate patient information ends and unlawful promotion begins is now an essential part of safe practice management.
This article provides a practical guide to helping practices lawfully promote obesity-management services while reducing the risk of regulatory scrutiny. We also examine a recent case involving one of our members, highlighting why obtaining early specialist advice after contact from a regulator can make a significant difference to the outcome.
The growing regulatory focus on weight-loss drug advertising
UK law prohibits advertising of prescription-only medicines (POMs), including weight-loss injections, to the general public. Treatment with drugs such as Wegovy and Mounjaro requires clinical assessment and ongoing supervision, and therefore, advertising for obesity-management services must remain within strict regulatory boundaries.
The Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP) writes the advertising rules, which are enforced by the ASA, while the General Medical Council (GMC) expects healthcare professionals to comply with them. In September 2025, the ASA warned businesses and individuals promoting weight-loss POMs that, alongside the MHRA and General Pharmaceutical Council, it was proactively monitoring and investigating breaches. It made clear that it was actively scanning for ads that breach the rules using artificial intelligence-based systems, and that non-compliance may result in sanctions and referral to statutory regulators.
The ASA is taking these steps to protect consumer safety. ASA consumer research published in April 2026 suggests the public may interpret adverts for weight-loss services as promoting POMs even where medicines are not named explicitly, and some individuals, including in vulnerable groups, may feel under pressure to use weight-loss injections. Of particular concern is that many people have no idea that these drugs are POMs.
Strong enforcement activity by the regulators has improved compliance rates among paid-for ads. However, many GP practices may still inadvertently engage in non-compliant advertising, particularly through websites, social media, influencer partnerships and other non-paid content. As the ASA has reinforced its commitment to enforcement of the rules in 2026, understanding the regulatory dos and don’ts is increasingly important.
What GPs and practices must avoid
Healthcare providers must take care when promoting weight-loss services to the public that they do not include either direct or indirect advertising of POMs. Even implied references can trigger ASA investigations if the average consumer could assume a POM is being promoted.
The guidance from ASA specifies that promotional material:
- Must NOT name specific POMs. This applies whether using the brand name (e.g. Wegovy, Ozempic, Mounjaro) or the generic name or active ingredient.
- Must NOT use descriptors or descriptions that are likely to be understood as referring to a POM. This includes terms such as “weight-loss injections”, “weight-loss pen”, “obesity treatment jab”, and “GLP-1”.
- Must NOT use imagery that is likely to be understood as representing a POM, such as images of injection pens or branded packaging.
- Must NOT direct consumers from one ad for non-POM products or services directly to another ad that promotes a POM, such as a paid-for ad or search result referencing weight-loss medication.
Common marketing risks for GP businesses include paid-for online or social media ads, service pages describing injectable treatments, search-optimised blog posts, embedded booking forms linked to prescribing services, social media testimonials, hashtag references to POMs (for example, #WeightLossJab), patient transformation posts, influencer marketing, and other third-party marketing. It is important to realise that if a third-party marketing agency unknowingly creates a non-compliant campaign, the responsibility remains with the practice.
Compliant ways to market weight–management services
The ASA emphasises that ads for weight loss treatment must only promote the consultation, or a medicine that can lawfully be advertised to the public, rather than a POM. So it would be permitted to advertise a medical weight-loss clinic or an obesity-management service, but the focus must be on the service and not on a POM product.
GP businesses need to take care to comply with these rules across all media within the remit of the ASA, including: online ads, social media, websites, press ads, commercial email and text messages, posters and billboards, leaflets and brochures, and direct mail.
The GMC reminds healthcare professionals that to maintain patients’ trust, marketing must be responsible and factual and must not exploit patients’ vulnerabilities. Regulators will look at whether the marketing reflects the reality of the service provided too, so promotions must not be misleading. For example, if marketing gives the impression that a weight-management service includes personalised consultations with a qualified GP, then that must be provided, rather than just an online form with remote prescriber review.
With regulators now proactively searching for breaches rather than waiting for complaints, the risk of legal, professional, and reputational damage is high if advertising does not comply with the rules. In a recent case, Medical Defense Society helped one of our members navigate MHRA intervention to avoid further regulatory action when they were found to be in breach of the advertising rules.
The case: Navigating MHRA intervention on POM advertising
Our member, a regulated healthcare professional and clinic owner, was contacted by the MHRA regarding the illegal advertising of POMs. The clinic’s promotional materials, including website copy, social media videos discussing GLP-1 agonists, and visual imagery of medication pens, were flagged as non-compliant with UK advertising regulations.
The challenge
The member faced a dual threat of legal and professional exposure. While many non-regulated entities frequently advertise POMs online, the member’s status as a GMC-regulated professional placed them at higher risk of action by the MHRA and GMC.
Key issues identified
We identified non-defensible content in the clinic’s promotional materials, including: explicit mentions of GLP-1s (e.g. Wegovy), “micro-dosing” strategies, and photos of branded POM packaging, which are prohibited in consumer-facing materials.
The regulatory risk was clear: as a regulated professional, the member is held to a higher standard of accountability than non-clinical business owners.
Serious reputational damage was possible: the MHRA intended to include the clinic on a public list of companies sanctioned for non-compliant advertising.
Strategic advice provided
We advised the member as follows:
- Immediate remediation: an overhaul of all digital content (website and social media) was the only way to mitigate further action. This required strict adherence to the ASA/MHRA Enforcement Notice.
- Mitigation letter: once the content was fully amended, a formal response should be written to the MHRA. This letter would argue that public naming would be “disproportionate and unfair”, citing the member’s genuine mistake and immediate proactive steps to rectify the breach.
- Risk management: counsel warned against objecting to the public listing until compliance could be demonstrably proven, as a defensive stance without corrective action would likely fail.
Outcome and lessons
A simple compliance checklist
GPs and practices wanting to ensure their advertising follows the rules can review our compliance checklist:
- Read the ASA/MHRA Enforcement Notice
- Audit advertising related to weight-management services, including all digital media (e.g. practice website and social media)
- Remove references to POMs (named or implied)
- Remove imagery associated with injectable weight-loss medicines
- Review blogs and search engine optimised pages
- Ensure marketing agencies understand ASA rules
- Check paid advertising campaigns regularly
- Separate patient education from promotional content
- Maintain documented internal review processes
- Seek expert advice regarding any uncertainties.
Whether you need support responding to MHRA concerns about POM advertising or advice on compliant marketing for an upcoming campaign, our team can help at Medical Defense Society. Remember, obesity-management services can still be marketed effectively without referencing POMs. But early review of marketing materials, with expert advice from us, can help you avoid investigations and maintain public trust.
At Medical Defense Society, we will provide the advice you need about informed consent. Whether you simply need clarity on the guidelines or you are facing a claim, our team is here to support you.
