Health chiefs in Tayside and Fife have stopped short of calling for a ban on diet pills but strongly advised against any substance that poses a risk to health.
Following a Courier investigation into the use of diet drugs, NHS Fife underlined the fact that there are “significant dangers” associated with taking any substance which has not been licensed by the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency and then prescribed by a health professional.
A spokesman for the health board said: “Licensed medicines go through a rigorous testing process to ensure not only that they serve their intended purpose, but so they will not prove to be harmful to us in the short or the longer term.
“The danger of taking these unlicensed and non-prescribed products is that there are no such safeguards in place.
“We cannot be sure of what these products contain and whilst they may well be sold legally, this is most often for an entirely different purpose.
“It does not follow, therefore, that they are safe by any means.
“We would strongly recommend that people do not use such products but recognise that a healthy balanced diet along with taking regular exercise continues to be the safest and most effective way of achieving and maintaining a healthy weight.”
That warning was echoed by NHS Tayside, who said the health board “strongly advise” people against buying slimming pills online.
“Although these drugs may be legal, that does not necessarily mean they are safe as they may contain a mixture of ingredients,” a spokesman said.
“The only drug currently licensed for use in weight management in the UK is Orlistat. In Tayside, this should only be prescribed for people attending the Tayside adult weight management service programmes and on their recommendation.”