PUBLISHED : 14 Sep 2026 at 15:34
Weight-loss injection pens have declared a specially controlled medication requiring a doctor’s prescription and available only from pharmacies, effective from Sept 15, following reports of harmful use and unregistered sales.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced the new regulation on Monday.
So-called weight-loss pens contain a class of drugs known as GLP-1 receptor agonists, such as Liraglutide or Semaglutide, FDA secretary-general Supattra Boonserm said. They mimic a naturally occurring hormone called glucagon-like peptide-1.
They were originally developed to treat type 2 diabetes, helping regulate blood sugar levels, slow stomach emptying and increase feelings of fullness. Similar medications have been developed specifically for weight management in people who are obese or overweight and have related health conditions.
It had recently been observed in Thailand that these medications were being used for weight loss without proper medical evaluation and supervision, Ms Supattra said.
There were cases involving the illegal sale of fake medications, products of unknown origin and sales through online channels.
On Friday, unregistered weight-loss injection pens and related materials worth more than 50 million baht were seized at a house in Nonthaburi. The seller had been raking in an estimated 8 million baht a month from online sales for the past year.
The Ministry of Public Health subsequently issued a notification designating injectable GLP-1 medications as specially controlled drugs.
Sales of these medications through licensed pharmacies will require a physician’s prescription from Tuesday, and the medicines must be dispensed by a pharmacist, to ensure that patients receive appropriate medical assessment and use these medications safely and correctly, Ms Supattra said.
Oversight of distribution would also be strengthened. Importers, distributors and licensed sellers of the drugs would now be required to report sales data into the system.