Weight-loss drugs cannot be advertised across all forms of media

Advertisements for prescription-only medications for weight loss and other treatments are not allowed in all forms of media, the health authorities told The Straits Times.

This is after a spate of online ads appeared on social media to promote weight-loss treatments available on telehealth platforms.

In response to ST queries in early August, the Ministry of Health (MOH) and the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) said on Nov 14 that they were reviewing the advertisements on weight-loss drugs flagged by ST and would take appropriate action for any breaches.

“These advertisements may not be conveyed in any form of media, including digital media such as websites, social media platforms and telehealth platforms,” they said in a joint statement.

ST has seen telehealth operators promoting their weight-loss programmes, along with glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) drugs, on social media platforms such as Instagram and Facebook since mid-July.

GLP-1 drugs, initially developed to treat diabetes, have gained widespread attention after doctors found them effective in helping patients shed the kilos.

In Singapore, these drugs are available only by prescription from a registered medical practitioner or pharmacist.

They can also be prescribed via telemedicine, with Saxenda being the most common GLP-1 drug offered by telehealth platforms here. It is a daily injectable drug and is administered using a pen.

Advertisements for such prescription-only medicine are not allowed under the Health Products (Advertisement of Specified Health Products) Regulations 2016.

HSA published a document on Nov 7 for telemedicine providers on regulations regarding the advertisements of health products.

In it, the authority said that publication of any information that promotes the sale or use of a health product, whether directly or indirectly, is considered an advertisement.

The reference to any health products or the featuring of such products – whether named, through an image or implied through descriptions of a specific health product – may constitute an advertisement, it said.

In the online advertisements seen by ST, the telehealth operators either featured the Saxenda pen with its label covered, or used a blue pen that resembles the product.

Some operators called it a “skinny pen” or “weight-loss pen”, or referred to it as “Sxnda”.

MOH and HSA said: “Publication of information that promotes the sales or use of specific brands of medicines, whether directly or indirectly (for example, using acronyms, misspellings, creative naming or product images with masked identifiers), is also disallowed.”

Some of the telehealth operators offer the GLP-1 drugs as part of a weight-loss programme.

Their advertisements highlight the potential weight loss from the use of the medication, as well as health benefits in areas such as metabolism and energy levels.

Some also promote buy-now, pay-later services for the purchase of the drugs.

The health authorities said that advertisements of licensable healthcare services must contain factually accurate information and be capable of being substantiated.

However, they must not solicit or encourage the use of such services.

“Information about discounts and payment by instalments cannot be included in the advertisements,” said the agencies.

When asked why they ran the GLP-1 weight-loss ads despite the risk of violating regulations, operators approached said they were committed to complying with the rules.

Dr Sue-Anne Toh, co-founder of Novi Health, said: “We are committed to fostering open dialogue with regulators to ensure that our practices align with the public’s best interests.”

A spokesman for Ora Group, which runs platforms andSons and Ova, said the company will “work closely with (regulators) if there are new rules or clarifications required”.

Mr Sean Low, founder of Ordinary Folk, which operates Noah and Zoey, said the company regularly reviews its content creation policies and guidelines on social media and other platforms, and has adequate staff training.

“If any content is found to unintentionally overstep these guidelines, we welcome feedback and are committed to making immediate corrections and further enhancing our compliance oversight,” said Mr Low.

Elevate’s co-chief executive, Mr Rio Hoe, said that the company has “established an understanding” with HSA on what constitutes an advertisement and what sort of content is permitted.

The company has “carefully complied with the guidance we have been provided, as well as industry norms”, he added.

Beyond the legal risks, the advertisements have raised concerns about the potential of encouraging people who do not need weight-loss drugs to seek them out.

One such group is patients who struggle with eating disorders such as anorexia, said Dr Tina Tan, a senior consultant psychiatrist at Better Life Clinic.

“In the vast majority of cases, one of the primary desires of such patients is to lose weight, which means they may be tempted to take supplements or medications that they perceive as helping them to rapidly achieve that goal,” said Dr Tan.

“However, such consumption does not address the underlying psychological issues these patients are dealing with, and can potentially cause harm to the person who consumes them in an inappropriate manner.”

While Dr Tan acknowledged the role of marketing in promoting the potential benefits of GLP-1 drugs, especially for those who truly need them, she said that the advertisements should have clear disclaimers on who can use the medications and who should avoid them.