A new weight-loss drug, retatrutide, has emerged as a powerful contender in the obesity treatment landscape, earning the nickname 'Godzilla' due to its potential to help individuals shed a quarter of their body weight in under a year. Manufactured by Eli Lilly, this once-weekly injection is notable for being almost twice as effective as Ozempic in early trials. Unlike other slimming injections, retatrutide, also dubbed 'triple G' because it targets three hormones involved in eating and weight regulation, not only suppresses appetite but also accelerates metabolism. Despite its promising results, with some trials showing women losing an average of 28.5 percent of their body weight and men 21.2 percent in 48 weeks, the drug is still in Phase 3 clinical trials, with results not expected until 2026. Side effects noted are similar to other GLP-1 drugs, including nausea, diarrhoea, and constipation.

Amid the excitement surrounding retatrutide and increasing costs for existing treatments, a black market for the drug has rapidly developed. Social media platforms are rife with users claiming to have sourced the investigational drug, boasting significant weight loss in months. Health experts and Eli Lilly have issued stark warnings against purchasing unapproved supplies. Dr. Helen Wall emphasized that the risks and exact dosing are unknown, and retatrutide operates on a different pathway than Ozempic or Mounjaro, requiring thorough safety exploration. Eli Lilly confirmed retatrutide is not available outside of clinical trials, warning that any product falsely representing itself could expose patients to serious health risks due to the likelihood of it being counterfeit or containing incorrect dosages.

The rush for unapproved drugs is partly fueled by the fluctuating prices of Mounjaro, another popular weight-loss injection from Eli Lilly. The company initially announced a significant price hike in the UK, effective September 1st, with the highest dose soaring from £122 to £330 per month, and mid-range doses nearly doubling. Eli Lilly justified this by stating Mounjaro was initially launched at a price