The dark side of social media giveaways. Unscrupulous marketers are peddling powerful, unlicensed weight-loss drugs to desperate individuals through "giveaways" and "prizes." These digital raffles have been spotted on WhatsApp and Telegram groups, where users can win injections of retatrutide, a medicine still undergoing clinical trials.
Experts describe these marketing tactics as "extremely dangerous," warning that the lack of regulation and oversight puts users at risk of serious harm. The problem is particularly egregious because many of the substances being promoted are tightly regulated medicines that require valid prescriptions and licensed pharmacies.
One group, BioUK Research peptides 2, has been running a competition where existing customers can enter to win injections of retatrutide. The giveaway claims to be "100% free to enter," but participants must add three friends to the group and follow certain social media accounts to qualify. The winner is selected randomly from a pool of 85 entrants.
The use of digital marketing techniques to promote unlicensed pharmaceuticals is a highly problematic trend. By disguising drug sales as coaching or training services, operators can gain access to payment options intended for legitimate businesses. This has led some experts to warn that the tactics used in these giveaways are "classic pressure tactics designed to override caution."
The dangers of these giveaways are very real. Weight-loss injections such as GLP-1 drugs can have serious side effects when administered without medical supervision. Dr. Emily Rickard, a research fellow at the University of Bath, has warned that promoting unlicensed medicines in this way "trivializes the use of unlicensed medicines" and actively discourages people from asking about their safety.
The law also prohibits many of these substances from being sold to the public without a valid prescription. Advertising or distributing prescription-only or unlicensed medicines through social media competitions is a breach of medicines regulations, and products obtained through hidden-market sellers carry serious risks because they are not subject to safety checks or quality controls.
Meta, the owner of WhatsApp, has banned accounts that break its messaging guidelines, while Telegram has explicitly stated that the sale of illegal medication is forbidden on its platform. However, it appears that some marketers are finding ways to evade these restrictions and continue their illicit activities.
Experts describe these marketing tactics as "extremely dangerous," warning that the lack of regulation and oversight puts users at risk of serious harm. The problem is particularly egregious because many of the substances being promoted are tightly regulated medicines that require valid prescriptions and licensed pharmacies.
One group, BioUK Research peptides 2, has been running a competition where existing customers can enter to win injections of retatrutide. The giveaway claims to be "100% free to enter," but participants must add three friends to the group and follow certain social media accounts to qualify. The winner is selected randomly from a pool of 85 entrants.
The use of digital marketing techniques to promote unlicensed pharmaceuticals is a highly problematic trend. By disguising drug sales as coaching or training services, operators can gain access to payment options intended for legitimate businesses. This has led some experts to warn that the tactics used in these giveaways are "classic pressure tactics designed to override caution."
The dangers of these giveaways are very real. Weight-loss injections such as GLP-1 drugs can have serious side effects when administered without medical supervision. Dr. Emily Rickard, a research fellow at the University of Bath, has warned that promoting unlicensed medicines in this way "trivializes the use of unlicensed medicines" and actively discourages people from asking about their safety.
The law also prohibits many of these substances from being sold to the public without a valid prescription. Advertising or distributing prescription-only or unlicensed medicines through social media competitions is a breach of medicines regulations, and products obtained through hidden-market sellers carry serious risks because they are not subject to safety checks or quality controls.
Meta, the owner of WhatsApp, has banned accounts that break its messaging guidelines, while Telegram has explicitly stated that the sale of illegal medication is forbidden on its platform. However, it appears that some marketers are finding ways to evade these restrictions and continue their illicit activities.
I'm so worried about all these social media giveaways promoting weight-loss meds without a license! 
It's like they're taking advantage of people who are desperate for help, you know? 
These medications are meant to be used under medical supervision and can have serious side effects if not taken correctly. 
I mean, think about it - some of these substances are still in clinical trials! That's crazy 
. We need to be more mindful of what we're clicking on online and report any suspicious activity to the authorities ASAP 
. And can we please talk about how Meta and Telegram need to step up their game when it comes to policing these platforms? 
It's just not cool that some marketers are finding ways to work around the rules and put people at risk. 
. I mean, it's not like the prizes themselves are bad or anything, but the way they're being advertised is super sketchy. These unlicensed weight-loss drugs can have some serious side effects, especially when taken without medical supervision 
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. I think more needs to be done to crack down on these scams and protect users from themselves.
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. The fact that they're using social media groups to give away these meds is so clever, but it's also super deceptive. And what really gets me is that some experts say this tactic is like "classic pressure tactics" designed to get people to overlook the risks. No thanks! We need better regulation and oversight of these platforms to prevent this kind of thing from happening again 
. Those retatrutide injections are still in clinical trials, what if they don't work or even make things worse?! And the fact that these marketers are basically selling unlicensed meds through social media groups is just not cool 
. I think we need to be way more careful about who we trust online and where we get our health info from. We should also be supporting legitimate businesses and medical professionals, not some shady marketers trying to make a quick buck 
. These marketers are basically preying on desperate ppl looking for quick fixes 
#StaySafeOnline #PharmacyRegulationsMatter #GiveawaysBeCautious
like what even is the point of winning if ur gonna end up seriously sick? 
These giveaways are not just scams; they're putting people's lives at risk. We can't let these scammers get away with it. 
. Like, what's the real prize here? Losing your health? 
I'm not saying it's anyone's fault, but these marketers are low-key geniuses at exploiting people's vulnerabilities 
. They know that if they disguise themselves as coaches or trainers, ppl will be less likely to question their motives 
". Anyway, kudos to Dr. Emily Rickard for sounding the alarm 
, we need more ppl like her advocating for safe and responsible healthcare practices 
I'm so sick of all this fuss about giveaways on social media! These "unscrupulous" marketers just want to make a quick buck, and honestly, if people can't even be bothered to fact-check the meds they're entering to win, that's their problem 
. Get over yourselves, everyone! You're just being paranoid about social media 
I mean can you imagine winning a prize that sounds too good to be true? it's not surprising experts are warning about these tactics being "extremely dangerous" - the lack of regulation is just crazy 
and what really gets me is how marketers are using social media groups as a way to sell stuff without actually selling anything legit 
anyone who wins one of these prizes should be getting a free check-up from their doctor ASAP 
and meta & telegram need to do better at policing these groups, it's just not cool when ppl get hurt because of someone else's greed 
, but also super manipulative 
. It's not just about the marketers, it's about the users who get hurt because of this lack of regulation 
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. We can't let people trivialize the risks of unlicensed medicines by trying to make a quick buck online 
. these marketers are taking advantage of desperate people who are already struggling to find healthy ways to lose weight or feel good about themselves. and it's all done through some social media group where you have to follow a few accounts to even enter