Mum Dies Days After £20 Unregulated Skinny Jab: Family Demands Change
In a tragic case highlighting the deadly risks of unregulated semaglutide, known colloquially as 'skinny jabs,' 53-year-old Karen McGonigal from Salford in Greater Manchester died in May last year, just days after being illegally administered a dose at a beauty salon. Her story underscores the urgent dangers of black market weight loss injections in the UK, where counterfeit versions of prescription GLP-1 medications like semaglutide are sold cheaply without medical oversight.
The Tragic Story of Karen McGonigal
Karen McGonigal was unable to obtain semaglutide through her GP, leading her to a beautician offering the jabs for just £20 each. Four days after her last injection, she was rushed to hospital. After two days in intensive care, her life support was turned off. The family awaits further test results but strongly suspects the unlicensed weight-loss jabs were to blame.
Karen's daughters, Abbie and Ffion McGonigal, became the first in the UK to speak publicly about a death linked to fake 'skinny jabs.' Their courage has amplified calls for change, with Abbie telling ITV: "If we can stop one person from going through what we've been through, at least we've done something." Ffion added, "I feel like we've really been listened to - like we've been heard." Abbie believes their mother would be "so proud" of their efforts.
Meeting with Health Secretary Wes Streeting
The family met Wes Streeting, the Health Secretary, to push for a crackdown on the sale of unlicensed weight loss drugs. Bosses from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) also joined the meeting. Streeting praised the family, telling ITV News: "I think a lot of people have sat up and listened... because you've been courageous enough to come forward and tell your mum's story."
He acknowledged the core issue: limited NHS availability drives people to dangerous alternatives. "The reason why your mum went to a different supplier is because it's not yet available to everyone on the NHS who might qualify and benefit," Streeting said. "So I feel that pressure to make sure... people aren't forced to go private, especially if it's dangerous and risky. They're not qualified, they're not trained but people assume that because it's on the high street, it must be all right."
After the meeting, Streeting stated: "I want to thank Abbie and Ffion McGonigal for taking the time to meet with me to talk about the tragic death of their mum, Karen, and their campaign for better regulation of weight loss drugs. It is a testament to Abbie and Ffion's courage and compassion that they want the devastating loss of Karen to warn others about the serious risks posed by taking black-market weight loss medication. The government is working with the MHRA to see what more can be done to stamp out the illegal sale of unlicensed weight loss drugs and to alert the public to the real dangers of accessing medication from unregulated providers."
What is Semaglutide and Why Are Unregulated Versions So Dangerous?
Semaglutide is a GLP-1 receptor agonist, a class of medications mimicking the hormone glucagon-like peptide-1 to regulate blood sugar, slow gastric emptying, and reduce appetite. Branded as Ozempic for diabetes and Wegovy for weight management, it's prescribed for obesity or type 2 diabetes under medical supervision. Safe supplies became available on the NHS in June last year, following research into the dangers of visceral fat around organs.
Risks of Black Market 'Skinny Jabs'
Weight-loss injections can only be legally and safely dispensed with a prescription from a healthcare professional, such as a doctor or pharmacist. Unregulated versions from beauty salons, online sellers, or high street vendors pose severe risks:
