Since Wegovy arrived in New Zealand, around 50,000 people have been prescribed the weight-loss drug. Many have a genuine medical need, but a Re: News investigation reveals there are loopholes for those who don’t – with people lying about their weight to get it. Zoe Madden-Smith reports.
Six minutes and 43 seconds.
That’s how long my consultation with a New Zealand doctor working for an online Wegovy provider lasted before they prescribed the weight loss drug to me. This is despite the fact I weigh 62kg, that’s 20kg under the Body Mass Index (BMI) threshold to be eligible for the medication.
People are lying to get Wegovy. Re: News tested the loophole - Watch now on TVNZ+
The speedy process raises questions about if there are enough safeguards for Wegovy prescribing, especially with the rise of telehealth.
Growing concern for lack of safeguards
Wegovy is an injectable medication designed for treating obesity and weight management. Patients need a BMI of at least 30 to be eligible (classified as “obese”) or, 25 if you have a chronic health condition like diabetes.
But during this investigation, multiple people told me patients are lying about their BMI to get access to the drug. With some telehealth providers relying on images of people’s bodies and not requiring patients to be weighed in person to verify their BMI.
The bulk of these claims came from people working in the eating‑disorder space and patients themselves, who feared that without adequate safety checks, at‑risk people could slip through the cracks.
“One of my clients with a BMI of 18 and restrictive anorexia was able to get these drugs,” Sydney based clinical psychologist Louise Adams told me. “That’s not medical care, that’s profiteering.”
Putting these loopholes to the test
Hearing this may not come as a surprise for those who have seen celebrities take advantage of weight loss jabs to fit the latest ‘skinny’ trend. But I assumed this wouldn’t be possible in New Zealand.
So, to find out if this was really happening here too, I found an online Wegovy provider and said I had a BMI of 30, when my BMI is actually 23.
Within two hours of filling out a 5-minute quiz, a doctor recommended Wegovy for me and I was prompted to pay just shy of $500 for my first month's supply.
That was the first alarm bell: paying for medication online before I’ve spoken to a doctor. I’ve been prescribed many different medications before, but I’ve never paid for any of them before talking to a health professional.
Ding! Your payment is approved.
The website prompted me to book a 15-minute online appointment with a doctor. But, before I do, I need to send photos of myself in underwear or tight fighting clothing with my face visibly showing.
Second alarm bell: how secure are these websites? With medical data leaks in the news recently, I have to admit I almost gave up and called it a day there, even though there's nothing to suggest a problem with this site.
But I pushed on, determined to find out what safeguards were between me and a powerful medication like Wegovy.
I uploaded my photos and booked in to see a doctor at 11.30 the following Monday.
The appointment
“Hi Zoe, I’ve just been looking through your quiz results. It looks like everything’s OK from a prescribing perspective. Did you have any questions about how it works?”
The question caught me off guard. I had spent the night before thinking about what screening questions they would ask me.
I thought maybe: What is your weight, and what is your goal weight? What has worked so far in your weight loss journey and what hasn’t? What types of food are you eating and do you do any exercise?
I also wondered if they would bring up mental health. In the quiz, I had been honest about my experience of mental health and that I have a family history of anxiety, depression and suicide. I deliberately went into detail because I wondered if it would raise flags in the consultation.
Wegovy has made headlines recently after regulators warned the drug may be linked to suicidal thoughts. Reviews by Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration and other global authorities prompted updated safety warnings.
Concern grows over the widening use of powerful weight-loss drugs. (Source: 1News)
But the doctor didn’t ask me any of these questions.
After some chat about the medication’s side effects and how long I should be on it, they told me to “hydrate” and eat “small meals throughout the day” to avoid nausea. But there was no detail about what I should eat or how I should exercise.
Now that I’ve been looking into Wegovy for a couple of months I’ve learnt losing weight quickly can mean losing muscle mass, so it is important to prioritise protein and strength training to help retain muscle. But this was not mentioned in my consultation.
My personal-Wegovy-trainer
By the six-minute mark, the doctor had told me they were excited for me twice and the consult was feeling more like an induction with a new personal trainer.
“I’m excited for you,” they told me. “It’s a good way to start the Christmas period with some positive change.”
I took the bait and said: “Yeah, you know - new year, new me.”
“You got this Zoe,” they replied.
At 6:43 minutes the call was over. Using less than half of the 15-minute slot I had been allotted.
I sat in shock for a while, only interrupted by my phone pinging me to let me know the pharmacy had received my script for Wegovy and it will be dispatched within 3-4 hours.
Wegovy to your door
Almost exactly 24 hours later, like clockwork, the package arrived at my door.
I was stunned. Partly at how fast it was but also the fact that I hadn't been weighed by anyone, I hadn't seen a GP or pharmacist in person.
It’s frightening because I am 62kgs. But because I opted out of the online provider notifying my usual doctor, they are completely unaware there a one-month supply of Wegovy has now been delivered to my house. Within 24 hours.
I went through more thorough questioning and safety checks when I was trying to get pseudoephedrine for a cold a few months ago.
Why we tested the loopholes
I’ve deliberated about how to tell this story for weeks. Finding a balance between raising awareness for why online telehealth providers need more safeguards, but not wanting to put a spotlight on the cracks in the system so that more vulnerable people are drawn in.
But the reality is, gaping holes in Wegovy telehealth have already been exposed in other countries.
Investigations by the Guardian and the BBC found some online pharmacies were issuing weight‑loss prescriptions based on false details and outdated photos, with little or no verification. In one case, a Guardian reporter received a prescription despite honestly reporting a BMI of 20.
In response, the UK’s General Pharmaceutical Council updated its guidelines in February 2025, requiring online pharmacies to independently verify a patient’s BMI — via video consultation, in person, or through another healthcare provider. Some pharmacies now use live photos or ask patients to step on scales during consultations to confirm weight.
The online Wegovy provider I used told Re: News its photo verification process helps identify patients who are underweight, but said: “accurately assessing weight from a photo alone is difficult”.
If there is suspected misrepresentation of a patient’s weight, it may ask for video verification of the patient weighing themselves or have the patient weighed in person.
“Where a patient deliberately falsifies medical information to obtain a prescription, they are acting against medical advice and circumventing safety processes designed to protect them.”
What does New Zealand’s medical sector have to say?
Ministry of Health Chief Medical Officer Dr Joe Bourne told Re: News telehealth is a “valuable service” that improves access to care. But pointed to Medical Council standards, which say an in‑person consultation should be considered when prescribing a medicine for the first time, when the doctor is not the patient’s usual GP, or when full medical records aren’t available.
The guidance also states patients needing repeat prescriptions should be reviewed in person regularly.
Medical Director of the Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners Dr Prabani Wood says weight‑loss medications are best assessed face to face.
“This allows the prescriber to physically examine not just their height and weight but also to take their blood pressure. Laboratory tests are also needed prior to commencing these medications and for monitoring when on them.”
Wegovy’s supplier, Novo Nordisk, says patient safety is its “number one priority”, adding that prescribing decisions rest with appropriately qualified clinicians.
The online Wegovy provider told Re: News: “Consultations are conducted via telehealth by practitioners who are specifically trained in GLP-1 prescribing, including screening for eating disorders, mental health risks, and contraindications.”
It said patients with complex medical histories or multiple medications may be assessed as unsuitable for telehealth management and may be referred back to their GP or an appropriate specialist.
Watch - Zoe Madden Smith's Wegovy Investigation for Re: News on TVNZ+
SHARE ME