Experts have warned about the damaging risks of a weight loss jab set to be sold by chemists across the UK - branding it as a 'gateway to eating disorders'.
Wegovy, also known as Semaglutide, is a prescription drug that works by suppressing appetites and is hit with US celebrities, including Twitter boss Elon Musk, while it is known among Hollywood stars as 'the skinny shot'.
Those in the medical profession have stated that it must not be used as a replacement for healthy eating and exercise, and can only be offered to those who hit certain criteria.
But confidence coach, Victoria Spence, 28, from Manchester, who was diagnosed with anorexia and orthorexia in her late teens, has raised concern about the jab 'becoming a gateway for eating disorders' while it has the potential to make things worse for those already struggling with disordered eating.
Vic says that when she developed anorexia - where you feel a need to keep your weight as low as possible - (which she recovered from in her early twenties), she would have done anything to assist her weight loss with little thought about the repercussions.
And the same could happen with patients of Wegovy.
"For people already struggling with an eating disorder, this drug will, without a doubt, exasperate the problem," she told the Mirror.
"When you're in that vulnerable headspace, you can become desperate, and I can only imagine the desperation heightens for those with eating disorders that are not visible.
"Then there are the people who might develop an eating disorder by taking a drug like this.
"When I developed anorexia, it wasn't because I wanted to starve myself until I was painfully thin. Like many other women, it was because I wanted to lose some weight and look the best I've ever looked.
"Our society teaches us that changing or enhancing our appearance is the key to solving our problems and living happier, more successful lives. It isn't until you've embarked on some appearance-altering journey that you realise your issues don't disappear because you look different.
"Because of this, we become hooked and feel like we need to do more, try something else, and go harder, regardless of the impact- that's when eating disorders happen.
"I believe Wegovy has the ability to be the gateway to or the tipping point for many eating disorders."
Last year, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) - an executive non-departmental public body of the Department of Health and Social Care in England - published guidance recommending Wegovy to overweight or obese adults with at least one weight-related condition.
Boots will be prescribing and dispensing the drug while Superdrug and Lloyds Pharmacy already have web pages where people can register their interest in the jab.
It will involve patients injecting themselves once a week but it is advised for the duration to be no longer than two years, NICE recommends.
Clinical trial evidence shows that people lose more weight with Semaglutide alongside supervised weight loss coaching than with the support alone, the report added.
It mimics the action of a hormone called GLP-1, which makes people feel fuller for longer, and therefore ultimately eat less.
But like with most medications, there can be side effects including nausea or an upset stomach, bloating and gas.
Evidence from a clinical trial showed participants taking the jab lost on average 12 per cent more of their body weight compared with a placebo.
It comes after the 2019 Health Survey for England estimated 28 per cent of adults in England were obese and a further 36 per cent were overweight.
And Government estimates indicate that the current costs of obesity in the UK are £6.1 billion to the NHS and £27 billion to wider society.
Helen Knight, programme director in the centre for health technology evaluation at NICE, said: "We know that management of overweight and obesity is one of the biggest challenges our health service is facing with nearly two-thirds of adults either overweight or obese.
"It is a lifelong condition that needs medical intervention, has psychological and physical effects, and can affect quality of life.
"But in recent years NICE has been able to recommend a new line of pharmaceutical treatments which have shown that those people using them, alongside changes to their diet and exercise, have been able to reduce their weight."
However Vic is not convinced this is the right path for public health. She criticises the motive behind supplying the jab over investing more resources into education on nutrition and health, suggesting it boils down to costs.
"The thing I find most frustrating is the emphasis on using Wegovy to lose weight for health reasons," she said, adding: "Weight loss alone does not mean you're gaining health, and to me, injecting a substance to suppress appetite sounds like an incredibly unhealthy thing to do.
"We have to factor in so many things when we think about health - nutrients, movement and a person's mind frame, to name a few. Although it's mentioned that the individual must follow a healthy diet and exercise regime alongside the drug, it's unlikely that people will when left to their own devices.
"If this were really about health, more money would be put into the proper education and resources needed for people to embark on a healthy lifestyle in their day-to-day lives.
"It's clear this isn't about health - it's about money."
Boots, who are yet to confirm how much the injections will cost while the final NHS price agreed with NHS England has not been disclosed, says the drug will be available from Boots Online Doctor service, with an anticipated launch of spring 2023.
They emphasise that patients will receive support throughout their weight loss journey.
A spokesperson told the BBC: "It can be an effective medicine to achieve sustained weight loss when used alongside a reduced calorie diet, increased physical activity and healthy lifestyle choices.
"The Boots Online Doctor Weight Loss Treatment service is for customers who are worried that their weight is impacting their health. Customers will have access to treatment following their completion of an online consultation form, which will be assessed by a clinician.
"Those who are offered treatment will receive follow-up touchpoints and support from the Boots Online Doctor service throughout their weight loss journey, and can access advice and support from our pharmacy teams in stores."
Tom Quinn, Director of External Affairs for Beat - the UK's leading charity supporting those affected by eating disorders - also says this type of medication can be 'very attractive' to those with disordered eating, and therefore could pose more harm than good.
'Wegovy or other weight-loss medications should only be sold under the strictest possible conditions, with stringent physical and mental health checks to ensure patients are well enough," he told the Mirror.
These medications can be very attractive to people with eating disorders as they seemingly offer a "quick fix" solution, however, there is a very high risk of making those affected even more unwell and can further entrench eating disorder thoughts and behaviours.
"It is vital that people are aware of the dangers of abusing medication in order to lose weight and there should be more education on their effects.
'In addition, doctors and pharmacists should also be made aware that medication misuse may be one of the signs of an eating disorder so that they can ensure those affected get treatment at the very earliest opportunity."
If you're worried about your own or someone else's health, you can contact Beat, the UK’s eating disorder charity, on 0808 801 0677 or beateatingdisorders.org.uk .
