News | New UK Practical Guidance Helps GPs Manage Patients Using Weight-Loss Injections
Researchers from King’s College London and the University of East Anglia have jointly published clinical guidance to help general practitioners (GPs) manage patients using injectable weight-loss medications, particularly those obtaining them privately.
Although these drugs are not routinely prescribed for obesity in UK primary care, an estimated 1.5 million people were using weight-loss injections by March 2025, with 80% purchased from online retailers. People obtaining them privately often lack nutritional guidance, psychological support, or monitoring for medication dependence, creating significant health risks.
"We see many patients in primary care who are clearly using these medications but receive no accompanying management."
—Lead author Dr. Laurence Dobbie, clinical research fellow in general practice at King’s College London
Ten practical recommendations focused on patient safety
Published in Obesity Facts, the guidance provides 10 evidence-based recommendations to help frontline clinicians identify risks, manage complications, and advise patients. Key points include:
Ask proactively and without judgment: When patients present with dizziness, falls, gastrointestinal symptoms, or sudden weight changes, clinicians should ask nonjudgmentally about GLP-1 medications such as semaglutide.
Adjust other medications early: During weight loss, closely monitor doses of glucose-lowering drugs such as insulin and sulfonylureas, as well as antihypertensives, to prevent hypoglycemia and orthostatic hypotension.
Watch for serious complications: Persistent abdominal pain should prompt urgent assessment for acute pancreatitis or biliary disease.
Stop before pregnancy and surgery: Women planning pregnancy should stop GLP-1 drugs at least two months beforehand. Patients planning surgery should stop one week beforehand to reduce aspiration risk.
The guidance was led by Obesity Management Collaborative UK (OMC-UK), a national academic network established in 2024 to support clinicians in obesity management.
"We hope this guidance will give GPs and primary care professionals practical skills for managing these patients efficiently in busy practice while prioritizing safety."
—Co-lead author Dr. Helen Parretti, clinical associate professor of primary care at the University of East Anglia
Collaboration combines evidence and practical experience
The guidance was written by primary care specialists Dr Laurence Dobbie, Dr Helen Parretti, Dr Ellen Fallows, and Dr Stephanie De Giorgio; endocrinology specialists Prof Barbara McGowan and Dr Dipesh Patel; and patient representative Sarah Le Brocq, combining clinical and patient perspectives.
"We hope to integrate these ten recommendations into routine care and provide every patient using weight-management medication with safer, more consistent support."
—Prof Barbara McGowan, professor at King’s College London and chair of OMC-UK
News | New UK Practical Guidance Helps GPs Manage Patients Using Weight-Loss Injections
News | New UK Practical Guidance Helps GPs Manage Patients Using Weight-Loss Injections
Researchers from King’s College London and the University of East Anglia have jointly published clinical guidance to help general practitioners (GPs) manage patients using injectable weight-loss medications, particularly those obtaining them privately.
Although these drugs are not routinely prescribed for obesity in UK primary care, an estimated 1.5 million people were using weight-loss injections by March 2025, with 80% purchased from online retailers. People obtaining them privately often lack nutritional guidance, psychological support, or monitoring for medication dependence, creating significant health risks.
"We see many patients in primary care who are clearly using these medications but receive no accompanying management."
—Lead author Dr. Laurence Dobbie, clinical research fellow in general practice at King’s College London
Ten practical recommendations focused on patient safety
Published in Obesity Facts, the guidance provides 10 evidence-based recommendations to help frontline clinicians identify risks, manage complications, and advise patients. Key points include:
Ask proactively and without judgment: When patients present with dizziness, falls, gastrointestinal symptoms, or sudden weight changes, clinicians should ask nonjudgmentally about GLP-1 medications such as semaglutide.
Adjust other medications early: During weight loss, closely monitor doses of glucose-lowering drugs such as insulin and sulfonylureas, as well as antihypertensives, to prevent hypoglycemia and orthostatic hypotension.
Watch for serious complications: Persistent abdominal pain should prompt urgent assessment for acute pancreatitis or biliary disease.
Stop before pregnancy and surgery: Women planning pregnancy should stop GLP-1 drugs at least two months beforehand. Patients planning surgery should stop one week beforehand to reduce aspiration risk.
The guidance was led by Obesity Management Collaborative UK (OMC-UK), a national academic network established in 2024 to support clinicians in obesity management.
"We hope this guidance will give GPs and primary care professionals practical skills for managing these patients efficiently in busy practice while prioritizing safety."
—Co-lead author Dr. Helen Parretti, clinical associate professor of primary care at the University of East Anglia
Collaboration combines evidence and practical experience
The guidance was written by primary care specialists Dr Laurence Dobbie, Dr Helen Parretti, Dr Ellen Fallows, and Dr Stephanie De Giorgio; endocrinology specialists Prof Barbara McGowan and Dr Dipesh Patel; and patient representative Sarah Le Brocq, combining clinical and patient perspectives.
"We hope to integrate these ten recommendations into routine care and provide every patient using weight-management medication with safer, more consistent support."
—Prof Barbara McGowan, professor at King’s College London and chair of OMC-UK
Source:
Collected online