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# Weight loss medication - Whole blood and components

## Essential information

Includes

  Oral (pills) or injectable drugs for management of weight loss.

Excludes

  Causes of obesity or related comorbidities. Donors with other conditions must be assessed using the relevant entries.

Obligatory
  1. Oral medication
     Must not donate if:
     1. The medication used is a reason for deferral in the WB-DSG, or
     2. The donor is experiencing significant side effects.
  2. Injectable medication
     Must not donate if:
     1. Injectable medication has not been prescribed for the donor by a UK or Republic of Ireland (ROI) registered prescriber and/or has been obtained from a non-licensed source, or
     2. The donor is not using the medication as prescribed (e.g. sharing medication vials, pens or injection equipment with other users), or
     3. The donor is experiencing significant side effects.
Discretionary

  If:

  1. The medication is not in itself a reason for deferral, and
  2. The donor does not have significant side effects, and
  3. Any injectable medication has been prescribed for the donor by a UK or ROI registered prescriber and obtained from a licensed source, and
  4. The donor is not sharing medication vials, pens or injection equipment,

  accept.

## Supporting information

See if relevant
  - Blood safety
  - Diabetes mellitus
Additional information

  Several treatments for weight loss are licensed for use by the NHS including the oral medication orlistat (Alli®, Xenical®) and the injectable medications tirzepatide (Mounjaro®), liraglutide (Saxenda®) and semaglutide (Wegovy®).

  Donors prescribed any of these through an NHS provider can be accepted provided they are well and are using the medication correctly. It is important to check the entry for any underlying health conditions that the donor may have. Donors who are diabetic should be assessed using the Diabetes mellitus entry.

  Patients who are not eligible for NHS treatment may obtain weight loss medications from private providers. As long as the treatment has been prescribed by a healthcare professional registered in the UK or ROI, and issued through a licensed pharmacy, the donor can be accepted. Donors who have obtained injectable medication from a non-licensed source (including from friends or family) should be managed through the Blood safety entry. It is important that donors are not accepted who may be sharing medication vials, pens or injecting equipment.

  Donors who have acquired treatments online can be accepted, provided they meet the conditions outlined above. If staff are unsure whether a provider meets these criteria, refer to a Designated Clinical Support Officer.

  Some oral weight loss treatments obtained abroad or online may require deferral under the medication rules within the WB-DSG. For example, topiramate is approved for weight loss in the USA and is marketed as Qsymia® (in combination with phentermine).

Reason for change:
  This is a new entry.
Version details:

  WB-DSG Edition 203 Release 78 (28 August 2025)

BETA

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