The family of a woman who died after being injected with a black market ‘skinny jab’ have met the Health Secretary Wes Streeting to push for a crackdown on the sale of unlicensed weight loss drugs. Karen McGonigal, 53, from Salford in Greater Manchester, died in May, just days after she was illegally administered a dose of unregulated semaglutide at a beauty salon.
Her daughters Abbie and Ffion McGonigal are campaigning for tougher penalties for those caught selling unsafe weight loss injections and more availability of the licensed drugs on the NHS. ITV News was given exclusive access to the family’s meeting at the Department of Health last week.
“If we can stop one person from going through what we’ve been through, at least we’ve done something,” said Abbie McGonigal. The Health Secretary praised the family for raising awareness about the dangers of buying unregulated medications.
If you are struggling with eating and your mental health – and feel you need help, there are resources available to support you.
• Visit: BEAT, the UK’s Eating Disorder charity: https://www.beateatingdisorders.org.uk/ – for helpline & email contact information, and webchat
• Visit: Samaritans: https://www.samaritans.org/ – or call: 116 123 free, 24 hours a day
• Visit: Home – Mind: https://www.mind.org.uk/
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