The Tribune

By JADE RUSSELL

Tribune Staff Reporter

jrussell@tribunemedia.net

FORMER Health Minister Dr Duane Sands has branded people who buy discounted GLP-1 weight-loss drugs from unlicensed sellers “dumb”, warning that the black-market trade could expose them to potentially deadly complications.

“If you decide to get any medication, whether it's for erectile dysfunction, antibiotics, GLP-1 drugs, acne medication, if you're dumb enough to get them from a non-licensed practitioner, then you deserve what you get,” Dr Sands told The Tribune yesterday.

His warning comes as demand for the prescription medications continues to climb in The Bahamas, with the drugs increasingly promoted on social media as weight-loss treatments and sold by unlicensed distributors at prices below those charged through legitimate medical channels.

At the same time, Health and Wellness Minister Dr Michael Darville said the Davis administration remains committed to making GLP-1 medications available through National Health Insurance for eligible patients with chronic diseases, although he could not say when the initiative would begin.

GLP-1 medications are prescription drugs used to treat type 2 diabetes and obesity by helping regulate blood sugar and suppress appetite. Popular brands include Ozempic, Wegovy, Trulicity and Victoza, while Mounjaro is a newer dual GIP/GLP-1 medication with similar effects.

The medications have become a cultural phenomenon worldwide, including in The Bahamas, where several TikTok creators have publicly documented their weight-loss journeys. Some appear to have purchased generic injections from unlicensed distributors at lower prices.

Dr Sands said many of the people selling the medications have no authority to prescribe or administer prescription drugs and are motivated by profit.

“When something bad happens then they scurry for the hills,” he said. “Because these are drugs, and you need to know what the heck you're doing.”

He also accused some aestheticians of practising medicine without the necessary qualifications.

“There are aestheticians that do injections in the buttocks (and) in the lips, you know, so that people look better, and they are practicing medicine illegally. But people will do whatever they could do to make a couple dollars.”

Although many GLP-1 medications are designed for self-injection, Dr Sands stressed that they should only be used after they have been prescribed by a qualified healthcare professional and patients have been properly instructed in their use.

He warned that attempts to save money by purchasing the drugs from unlicensed sellers could have serious consequences.

“For many of these people, the cost-benefit analysis is a good one, but a value proposition is a good one. But the dumbest thing that you can do is to go to somebody who doesn't know what the hell they're doing because you think you can save $10 or $50.”

Dr Sands said the drugs are available in different concentrations and warned that some people buy stronger formulations, dilute them and administer or sell them in smaller doses to increase their profits.

He said GLP-1 medications have been available in The Bahamas for just over three years and have particular value because of the country's high rates of obesity, diabetes and hypertension.

He said the drugs can be life-changing for patients with underlying medical conditions and should not be viewed simply as cosmetic treatments.

A cardiovascular surgeon who also prescribes GLP-1 medications, Dr Sands said he has seen patients with severe heart disease benefit significantly from the drugs.

He said some patients who were "cardiac crippled" lost almost 100 pounds and are now fully functioning.

Dr Sands also called for GLP-1 medications to be added to the government's list of funded medicines, saying wider public access would benefit patients who are uninsured or unable to afford treatment, which typically costs between $600 and $1,000 per month.

In an interview with The Tribune, Dr Darville pointed to the Progressive Liberal Party's Blueprint for Change, which includes a commitment to expand National Health Insurance coverage to include GLP-1 medications for obesity and type 2 diabetes.

He said officials have completed a new national formulary that includes the medications and are continuing work on the initiative during the current term.

He acknowledged that providing the drugs through the public healthcare system would increase government spending but said the long-term health benefits justified the investment.

He also stressed that medication alone would not solve the country's obesity crisis, saying healthy eating and broader wellness practices remain essential.