An Instagram publication of the personality of the Gemma Collins television which announced a drug and a weight loss application has been prohibited.
The star posted: “I start two sizes this year, thanks to the Yazen weight loss application and the drugs”.
It is illegal to publish weight loss drugs only on prescription and Ms. Collins’ was one of the nine advertisements prohibited in a repression by standard advertising Authority (ASA).
Collins told the ASA investigation that she had accepted that her posts had promoted the service and the Yazen weight loss application and that she would follow the advice in the future.
Yazen is a Swedish digital health care brand that offers users a supervised weight loss program for the doctor combining prescription drugs with lifestyle coaching.
Ms. Collins published a video announcement for the brand on its Instagram on January 6 of this year.
In the now banned announcement, Ms. Collins describes how Yazen helped her and said: “I am not telling anyone to follow this medication, but he is prescribed on the NHS.”
Although the announcement did not appoint a specific weight loss drug, the ASA said it has made references that violated its code.
ASA said they had advised the Medicines and Health Products Regulatory Agency, which expressed its concern that consumers are likely to be led to asking for weight loss medication.
Consequently, the announcement was considered to promote these drugs to the public, breaking the rules of the ASA.
The other eight advertisements prohibited to promote weight loss drugs only for the public were:
- A meta-announcement paid for Chequp HealthWho declared “to take the first step for a lasting weight loss with the check”.
- A meta-announcement paid for Healthexpress.co.ukwhich included an image of a partially visible injection enclosure and code violation text
- A google paid search for Juniper UKwhich indicated “the injection of weekly GLP-1” weight loss “and presented an image of an injectable pen.
- A google paid search for Phlo clinicIncluding the text that said: “Get 35% reduction in weight loss weight loss treatments online”.
- A paid Google ad for PenWho said that “Semapen facilitates weight loss”.
- A meta-announcement paid for Cloud pharmacy Presenting text messages between two friends discussing new weight loss drugs that you can order online.
- A google paid search for Pharmacyline.co.ukwhich included text indicating “obesity treatment jab” and an image of a box containing a bottle of liquid.
- A google paid search for Phlo clinicSeen on December 2, 2024, which included text which indicated “weight loss injections”.
ASA has ruled that none of these advertisements can appear again in their current form.
