The rise of social media marketing and online pharmacies has led to an alarming trend: the promotion of prescription-only medicines (POMs), often in violation of advertising laws. The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) recently took action against social media posts promoting weight-loss treatments like Mounjaro, sold via referral links and affiliate schemes on platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook. These posts were found to illegally advertise prescription medications to the public, violating regulations that prohibit direct promotion of such drugs.

The ASA ruled that posts promoting POMs—like Mounjaro for weight loss—violated the laws on prescription medication.

• Directly named prescription medicines: ads specifically named weight-loss drugs such as Mounjaro, often accompanied by weight-loss hashtags.
• Showed images of injection pens: many posts featured images of the drug’s packaging or injection pens, reinforcing the promotion of a prescription-only medication.
• Encouraged followers to begin their weight-loss journey: posts often pushed users to start a weight-loss journey using these drugs, enticing them to purchase medications without medical advice.
• Offered discounts or incentives: some posts included discount codes or referral rewards, incentivising followers to buy the drugs—violating advertising standards that prohibit promoting prescription drugs directly to the public.

Despite this, it is increasingly being promoted on social media, often through affiliate schemes and unregulated online pharmacies.

Certain online pharmacies were implicated in the ASA ruling, while some argued the posts were independently shared by users. The ASA pointed out that they controlled affiliate schemes and were responsible for ensuring compliance with advertising rules.

The ASA’s actions highlight the growing risks associated with the illegal promotion of prescription-only drugs on social media. Both influencers and brands must understand their responsibilities to comply with advertising laws. With increasing misuse of drugs like Mounjaro, consumers must be cautious when purchasing medications online, ensuring they only buy from licensed, regulated sources.