A dangerous black market for counterfeit weight-loss drugs is thriving on major social media platforms, putting American lives at risk while Big Tech companies fail to adequately police their own platforms.
Story Highlights
- Channel 4 investigation exposes illegal sales of unapproved “King Kong” weight-loss drug on TikTok and Facebook
- Former reality TV star lost vision in one eye after purchasing counterfeit injection with no medical guidance
- Undercover reporter easily purchased fake drugs from sellers making false pharmaceutical claims
- Social media giants removed content only after being exposed, admitting detection failures
Unregulated Drug Market Exploits Desperate Consumers
Channel 4 News exposed a thriving black market where counterfeit versions of Retatrutide, dubbed the “King Kong” of weight-loss medications, are being sold illegally through Facebook and TikTok. The investigational drug remains in clinical trials and has never received approval anywhere globally, yet sellers brazenly market fake versions to unsuspecting consumers. An undercover reporter successfully purchased these dangerous injections from multiple sellers who provided false information about pharmaceutical sourcing and bogus NHS availability claims.
Victim Suffers Permanent Vision Loss From Counterfeit Injection
Aisleyne Horgan-Wallace, a former Big Brother contestant, exemplifies the devastating consequences of this unregulated market. After purchasing a counterfeit weight-loss injection on TikTok, she lost complete vision in one eye and experienced severe vomiting that left her unable to reach the bathroom. She received the dangerous product with no medical guidance, instructions, or safety information. Her terrifying ordeal demonstrates how social media platforms have become venues for life-threatening medical fraud.
Pharmaceutical Company Fights Back Against Illegal Operations
Eli Lilly, the legitimate manufacturer developing Retatrutide, emphasized that their investigational molecule is legally available only to participants in controlled clinical trials. The company confirmed it is pursuing legal action against the identified illegal sellers who are endangering public safety. Dr. Nancy Allen, an NHS GP who prescribes licensed weight-loss medications, expressed serious safety concerns when shown the illegal injection packages, stating she had never encountered such products before.
Big Tech Platforms Admit Detection Failures
TikTok and Meta removed the illegal content only after being exposed by the investigation, revealing significant gaps in their content moderation systems. Meta acknowledged it is “constantly working to get better at detection,” while TikTok banned associated hashtags and search suggestions. However, the ease with which the undercover reporter accessed these dangerous products demonstrates that current enforcement measures are inadequate to protect consumers from potentially deadly counterfeit medications.
Growing Market Demand Creates Dangerous Opportunities
The weight-loss drug market has exploded, with sales of approved medications like Mounjaro and Wegovy reaching 2.5 million in July—seven times higher than the previous year. Approximately 4 percent of UK households now use these medications, while limited NHS access creates opportunities for illegal sellers to exploit desperate consumers. This regulatory gap highlights the need for stronger oversight of both pharmaceutical distribution and social media platform accountability in protecting public health.
Sources:
Warning after ‘King Kong’ of weight-loss jabs found being sold illegally on social media
Illegal weight-loss jabs linked to food trends in Malta
