2025-04-17 10:08:55
The Advertising Standards Authority (through the Committee of Advertising Practice – CAP), working with the General Pharmaceutical Council and the Medicine and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency has issued an Enforcement Notice in relation to the advertising of Prescription Only Medicines for the weight management https://www.asa.org.uk/static/120ba987-d795-48ec-9b3f10008348fbcf/Enforcement-Notice-Prescription-only-medicines-used-for-weight-management.pdf .
Regulation 284(1) of the Human Medicines Regulations 2012 prohibits the publishing of an advertisement that is likely to lead to the use of a prescription only medicine. The CAP Code bans the advertising of POMs to the public.
The Notice refers to concern about the advertising of POMs used for weight management, including on social media such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and sponsored Google ads. Medicines that the Notice specifically mentions are:
- Saxenda (liraglutide)
- Ozempic (semaglutide)
- Wegovy (semaglutide)???
- Rybelsus (semaglutide)???
- Mounjaro (tirzepatide)???
- Mysimba (naltrexone / bupropion)
- Victoza (liraglutide)
The Notice includes guidance that the names of POMs should not be used in advertising, and that adverts should promote consultations, not medicines.