ASA bans first ads for oral weight loss medicines from online pharmacies
The Advertising Standards Authority has issued its first rulings against ads for oral weight loss medicines, finding that online pharmacies promoted unlicensed or prescription-only products to the public. The Daily Mail also links the story to criticism of an Eli Lilly campaign shown after Bake Off.
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The story, neutrally told
Mixed · 2The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has banned ads from Simple Online Pharmacy and Pharmacy Online, the first rulings against promotion of oral weight loss medicines. Evening StandardN “Ads for oral weight loss medicines have become the first to be banned for promoting unlicensed and prescription-only products to the public.” Read at Evening Standard ↗ Daily MailR “Among the adverts to fall foul of the ASA in its latest rulings were those from Simple Online Pharmacy and Pharmacy Online” Read at Daily Mail ↗ Mixed · 2The ASA ruled that a Simple Online Pharmacy ad seen on 1 June, which invited people to "join the waitlist" for a new oral weight-management treatment, promoted an unauthorised medicine, because the first oral GLP-1 tablet for weight management was not licensed in the UK until 11 June. Evening StandardN “promoted oral GLP-1 treatments before any such medicine had been authorised in the UK.” Read at Evening Standard ↗ Daily MailR “Just ten days later, on June 11, the UK's first oral GLP-1 treatment for weight management – a tablet version of blockbuster jab Wegovy – was given the green light.” Read at Daily Mail ↗ Mixed · 2Pharmacy Online's ads, which included a website pop-up inviting people to "pre-order" the oral Wegovy tablet and paid social media ads, were banned for promoting a prescription-only medicine to the public after it was licensed. Evening StandardN “The ads included a website pop-up inviting people to “pre-order” the medicine and paid social media ads promoting an oral weight-management tablet.” Read at Evening Standard ↗ Daily MailR “Pharmacy Online was reprimanded by the ASA over adverts promoting an unnamed weight loss pill through website pop-ups and social media” Read at Daily Mail ↗
Mixed · 2Under UK rules, medicines must be authorised by the MHRA before promotion, and once licensed as prescription-only they cannot be advertised to the public. Evening StandardN “Once a medicine is licensed as prescription only, it cannot be advertised to the public.” Read at Evening Standard ↗ Daily MailR “UK law bans the advertising of prescription-only medicines directly to the public, as well as the promotion of drugs that have not been authorised by health regulators.” Read at Daily Mail ↗ Mixed · 2Three further rulings, against MedExpress, Juniper and the Care Pharmacy, found they promoted prescription-only medicines even without naming the products, because the ASA's research found people did not need to see a named product to recognise weight loss medication. Evening StandardN “The ASA warned that advertisers needed to consider the overall impression of an ad after its own research found that people did not need to see a named product to know it was referring to weight-loss medication.” Read at Evening Standard ↗ Daily MailR “Three further rulings were published today against MedExpress, Juniper and the Care Pharmacy” Read at Daily Mail ↗ Right · 1The Daily Mail reports the ASA said ads should not show weight loss injection pens or refer to "reduced appetite and cravings", even without naming a drug, and that it has issued new guidance for weight loss ads. Daily MailR “The ASA added that adverts should not feature images of weight loss injection pens or references to 'reduced appetite and cravings'”“The ASA has now issued specific new guidance governing adverts for weight loss treatments.” Read at Daily Mail ↗
Mixed · 2Catherine Drewett, ASA investigations manager, said the ASA had acted quickly as the market developed and that oral medicines, like prescription-only injections, cannot be advertised to the public. Evening StandardN ““We’ve acted quickly as this market has developed and these first rulings make clear that these oral medicines, like prescription-only injections, cannot be advertised to the public.” Read at Evening Standard ↗ Daily MailR “These are powerful medicines, so it's important that ads don't encourage people to seek treatment in ways that could put them at risk.” Read at Daily Mail ↗ Mixed · 2The MHRA welcomed the action; Julian Beach, its executive director of healthcare, quality and access, said stimulating consumer demand for a new prescription medicine is not permitted. The Daily Mail adds that the MHRA said it would use its full regulatory powers, which can include fines and court proceedings. Evening StandardN ““Stimulating consumer demand for a new prescription medicine is not permitted.” Read at Evening Standard ↗ Daily MailR “This can include fines and court proceedings, while breaches referred to the General Pharmaceutical Council can also result in action against the pharmacy” Read at Daily Mail ↗ Centre · 1The ASA said it will keep monitoring ads and trends for these medicines, working with the MHRA and the General Pharmaceutical Council. Evening StandardN “It said it would continue to monitor ads and emerging trends for the medications, working closely with the MHRA and the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC).” Read at Evening Standard ↗
Right · 1The Daily Mail places the rulings alongside criticism of an Eli Lilly campaign shown on Channel 4 after The Great British Bake Off with the message that "obesity is a disease". The campaign named no drug, so it complied with UK advertising rules, but critics said it drove interest in prescription medicines. The ASA received several complaints, and a spokesman said another regulator has taken over the investigation. Eli Lilly had been approached for comment. Daily MailR “Although the campaign did not name a specific drug – allowing it to comply with UK advertising rules – critics argued that it nevertheless drove interest in prescription medications.”“It confirmed the investigation had now been taken over by 'another regulator'”“Eli Lilly has been approached for comment.” Read at Daily Mail ↗ Right · 1The Daily Mail gives context: the ASA issued nine rulings in July last year, and more than 2.5 million Britons are thought to use weight loss drugs, most paying privately. It asks whether the new rulings will curb illegal sale and promotion. Daily MailR “The ASA previously issued nine rulings in July last year”“More than 2.5 million Britons are thought to be using weight loss drugs, the majority of whom pay privately because NHS access remains limited.” Read at Daily Mail ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left0 outlets
No left outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Centre1 outlet
- Framing
- Straight regulatory news report on the ASA rulings, led by the first bans on oral weight loss medicine ads.
- Emphasis
- The licensing timeline, the rule against advertising prescription-only medicines, and quotes from the ASA and MHRA.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not mention the Eli Lilly Bake Off campaign, past ASA rulings, or MHRA enforcement powers.
- For example
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“The ASA said the rulings were part of wider action to tackle irresponsible ads for weight loss medicines.” — Evening Standard
Right1 outlet
- Framing
- Frames the rulings as a crackdown, led by the controversy over Eli Lilly's Mounjaro-linked campaign after Bake Off.
- Emphasis
- Public criticism that ads preyed on insecurities, the Eli Lilly campaign, MHRA enforcement powers, and how many Britons use the drugs.
- Leaves out or plays down
- The headline does not say these are the first rulings on oral medicine ads; the Eli Lilly campaign is a separate matter from the pharmacy rulings.
- Charged language
- “crackdown”“controversial”“preyed on viewers' insecurities”
- For example
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“It follows a series of controversial adverts – including one shown after Bake Off – that sparked complaints they preyed on viewers' insecurities about their weight.” — Daily Mail
What every side reports
- The ASA banned ads from Simple Online Pharmacy and Pharmacy Online.
- The first oral GLP-1 weight management tablet was licensed in the UK on 11 June.
- The ASA also ruled against MedExpress, Juniper and the Care Pharmacy.
- The MHRA welcomed the ASA's action.
Advertising Standards Authority organisation
Says the first rulings make clear oral weight loss medicines cannot be advertised to the public, and that it will keep monitoring the market.
“these first rulings make clear that these oral medicines, like prescription-only injections, cannot be advertised to the public.” — Evening Standard
Left0 articles
No coverage yet.
Centre1 article
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Watchdog bans first ads for oral weight loss medicines
Neutral Factual account of the ASA rulings with regulator quotes.
Right1 article
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Weight loss drug ad crackdown after controversial Mounjaro maker's campaign airs during Bake Off
Critical Treats the rulings as a crackdown and ties them to the controversial Eli Lilly Bake Off campaign.
- 7 Oct 00:01 First Evening StandardN Watchdog bans first ads for oral weight loss medicines
- 7 Oct 00:01 +1m Daily MailR Weight loss drug ad crackdown after controversial Mounjaro maker's campaign airs during Bake Off
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.