Police have launched an urgent probe after a woman was left in intensive care after using a weight-loss jab which she sourced from a beauty salon.

The woman was rushed to hospital earlier this month, where she was treated for suspected internal injuries after using the injection. 

North Yorkshire Police said two women, 32 and 37, from Selby, were arrested on suspicion of administering the medicine and have been released on bail.

A third woman, 58, also from Selby, was arrested on suspicion of selling or supplying a prescription-only medicine and has been released while under investigation.

Health bosses have warned against using weight loss medicines bought from private clinics or online, saying they can pose a ‘direct danger to health’.

She has since been discharged while police investigation after being reported the issue by health professionals on May 7.

Weight loss injections, such as Mounjaro and Wegovy, require a prescription from a doctor in order to buy them legitimately.

The drugs are generally only available to those with a BMI of 30 or more, meaning they’re obese or overweight people with other weight-related health conditions.

NHS Humber and North Yorkshire Integrated Care Board (ICB) Chief Pharmacy Officer, Laura Angus, said: ‘There has been a lot of attention in the media and on social media about these so-called ‘skinny jabs’, but as with any medicines bought outside of legitimate supply chains, the contents may not match the ingredients on the label.

‘If you use such products, you could be putting your health at serious risk.

‘If you are thinking of buying a weight-loss medicine, please talk to a healthcare professional first.

‘The only way to guarantee you receive a genuine weight-loss medicine is to obtain it from a legitimate pharmacy – including those trading online – using a prescription issued by a healthcare professional.’

Andy Morling, the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency’s deputy director of Criminal Enforcement, said: ‘Weight loss medicines are powerful medications and should only be used under the supervision of a qualified healthcare professional.

‘Public safety is our top priority, and our Criminal Enforcement Unit works tirelessly with partners to prevent, detect and investigate illegal activity involving medicines and medical devices.

‘Buying so-called weight loss medicines from illegal suppliers significantly increases the risk of receiving products that are either falsified or not licensed for use in the UK.

‘Products purchased in this way will not meet the MHRA’s strict quality and safety standards, and taking such medicines may put one’s health at risk.’