“Do use my code for £40 off at checkout,” a TikTok creator enthusiastically tells the 212 people watching her live. “Or you can head to the link in my bio to buy direct and save.”
Influencers sharing discount codes, personalised selling links or directing followers to their Linktree (a tool that allows you to share multiple links on social media in one go) is nothing new, but what made this particular TikToker’s directive unique is that she wasn’t recommending a new moisturiser or a limited edition Stanley cup; she was endorsing a GLP-1 medication for weight loss – and her followers were lapping it up.
“I’ve been wanting to give this a go for ages,” wrote one, another chiming in: “Do you think it would be good for me? I’ve never really looked into it before.”
“You’ll love it,” came the confident response, along with a finger emoji pointing to the pharmacy discount code. “Obviously my code makes it cheaper too, which is great as it’s not the cheapest.”
I was shocked.
GLP-1 medications like Ozempic, Mounjaro and Wegovy were initially developed as an injectable medication for adults with type 2 diabetes to improve blood sugar, working by mimicking a natural hormone that regulates blood sugar, leading to weight loss as a side effect. But over the last year, they’ve become a popular tool in the pursuit of weight loss. After clinical trials, NICE (the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) have now approved Mounjaro and Wegovy for use on the NHS as part of a structured weight loss programme, though it will take an estimated 12 years to fully roll out the drug. In the meantime, those wanting to use any GLP-1 medication for weight loss purposes can purchase it privately via one of the many participating UK pharmacies who supply it, with prices ranging from £120 to £210 per month depending on the prescriber. Standard criteria for prescription includes having a BMI of over 30 or a BMI of over 27 with three weight-related medical issues, though individual pharmacies might add their own regulations.
However, to help bring down the cost and lower the barrier for entry to those who feel they might struggle to afford the medication, pharmacies appear to be dishing out discount codes to those with social media followings specifically built around discussing their weight loss journey and experience with the medication.
These ‘Ozempic influencers’ have built highly-engaged audiences who hang on their every word, from those already several months into their own journey with a GLP-1 medication to those who might be scrolling through wellness content and get randomly served the live via the algorithm. Similarly to the ‘Ozempic influencers’ they are following, these audiences possess varying levels of awareness of the medication, its risks and implications and crucially, a need for the drug (“I need to lose 4lbs before a holiday, would it be good for me?”).
Unsurprisingly, once I’d shown some form of interest in the topic, the algorithm began to serve me an increasing number of TikTok lives from Ozempic influencers. They all looked different, their advice was different, their understanding of the drug and their level of pushiness toward their audience to try it for themselves was wildly variable, but they all had one thing in common: they were all promoting money off your first order of a GLP-1 medication, most of them proudly displaying their discount code or personal link on the screen alongside drastic before and after photo collages.
Live-after-live, I watched as people — of varying ages, weight and health — engaged in hours of discourse around the ‘best time’ to inject, the ‘best place to buy from’. Even more worrisome, many lives saw viewers ask questions that only a medical professional would be qualified to answer, ranging from, “can I take this medication if I have gallstones?” to “I took my first dose a few days ago and have had stomach pain since, is that normal?”
