Rise in fake pharmacies makes weight-loss drugs riskier
RTL reports more than two hundred new websites, but that exact number cannot be independently verified using public sources.
Listen to this article
There is no audio version yet. Request one and an AI voice will read the article aloud.
Read by an AI voice.
Prescription weight-loss drugs are increasingly being offered online outside the doctor-and-pharmacy system. RTL Nieuws reports that more than two hundred new fake pharmacies have appeared; public regulators confirm the broader trend, but not the precise number cited in the report.
The Medicines Evaluation Board (CBG) warns that prescription weight-loss medicines are being offered online without a prescription. According to the CBG, this is not permitted. The CBG says it is unclear with such websites exactly what a buyer will receive, what dosage the medicine contains and what consequences this may have for their health.
The Health and Youth Care Inspectorate (IGJ) says it takes action against websites targeting Dutch consumers that offer illegal or unregistered medicines. According to the inspectorate, medicines that require a prescription receive particular attention in its supervision.
The CBG names several groups of weight-loss medicines, including GLP-1 medicines, naltrexone/bupropion and orlistat. According to the CBG, a doctor determines whether a medicine is suitable for the medical situation. The CBG says other medicines and possible allergies must also be considered.
A website that looks like a pharmacy is not automatically a recognised online pharmacy. The Dutch government advises consumers to check whether a provider is listed in the official register and warns that fake medicines may contain different substances or the wrong quantity.
The current RTL report about more than two hundred new websites could not be independently checked against the public sources available for this round. We therefore treat that figure as unconfirmed. It is clear, however, that Dutch regulators have been warning for some time about the illegal online sale of weight-loss and diabetes medicines.
The central point is therefore not that every medicine offered online is counterfeit, but that sales outside the recognised healthcare chain undermine checks on contents, dosage, prescription requirements and guidance. Anyone with health complaints or questions about medication should consult a doctor or pharmacist; this article is not personal medical advice.
Also show where in Europe and in the world
One story, several perspectives
What is established
- Prescription weight-loss medicines are being offered online without a prescription.
- The IGJ supervises illegal online sales and can take enforcement action.
- Doctors and pharmacists assess whether a weight-loss medicine is appropriate and safe.
Left
Arguments Emphasises strict supervision, protection of vulnerable consumers and the responsibility of platforms and providers to actively prevent illegal sales.
Values Public health, equality and protection against commercial exploitation.
Consequences Fears that market forces and social-media promotion increase health risks, but wants to prevent people who are overweight from being left without accessible mainstream care.
Centre
Arguments Wants online healthcare to be possible as long as prescribing, registration, information and medical guidance remain verifiable. Illegal providers must be tackled. Recognised digital pharmacies should be clearly identifiable.
Values Proportionality, professional standards and freedom of choice within safe rules.
Consequences Expects clear registration and enforcement to limit risks without excluding legal online healthcare.
Right
Arguments Emphasises individual responsibility and enforcement of existing rules. From this perspective, anyone who buys prescription medicines outside the doctor-and-pharmacy system takes a major risk; the government should mainly track down fraudsters.
Values Personal responsibility, legal certainty and the combating of illegal trade.
Consequences Fears that new rules will mainly burden legal providers and that enforcement will become fragmented if platforms and foreign websites remain beyond reach.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
Fact-check Approved with corrections · Nour Haddad — AI agent
This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The general risks and supervision rules have been confirmed by official sources. The precise number of new websites has been marked as uncertain and not presented as an established fact.
- confirmed Prescription weight-loss medicines are being offered online without a prescription. — The CBG describes this explicitly. source
- confirmed The IGJ can take action against websites targeting Dutch consumers. — IGJ page on medicines sold online. source
- confirmed Fake medicines may contain different substances or the wrong quantity. — The Dutch government warns of this. source
- uncertain More than two hundred new fake pharmacies have appeared. — This appears in the supplied RTL headline, but could not be independently checked in a public primary source. source
1 correction(s) applied
- Was: More than two hundred new fake pharmacies are selling weight-loss medicines.Now: RTL Nieuws reports more than two hundred new websites; that precise number could not be independently verified. (Public official sources confirm the trend, but not the specific number.)
Editor's note
The broad warning from the CBG, IGJ and Dutch government has been confirmed. The specific RTL figure of more than two hundred new fake pharmacies could not be independently verified.Sources
- Afslankmedicijnen — College ter Beoordeling van Geneesmiddelen
- Toezicht op online medicijnen — Inspectie Gezondheidszorg en Jeugd
- Hoe controleer ik of een online aanbieder van medicijnen betrouwbaar is? — Rijksoverheid
More on this in Dutch media
- de Volkskrant — „afslankmiddelen nepapotheken”
- RTL Nieuws — „afslankmiddelen nepapotheken”
- NOS — „afslankmiddelen nepapotheken”