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Why a proper clinic checks your BMI and ID

If a weight loss service asks for a video call, a photo with identification, or to contact your GP, that is not red tape. Since 2025 it is what the rules require, and it is there to keep you safe. A service that skips it is the one to worry about.

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The short version

  • Since February 2025, a prescriber must verify your weight, height and BMI independently before supplying a weight loss medicine.
  • A questionnaire alone is not enough, and a phone call is not accepted.
  • A video call, a photo or video with ID, or contacting your GP are the accepted ways. All are a good sign.
  • A site that sells after a few tick boxes is not following the rules.

What changed in February 2025

The General Pharmaceutical Council, which regulates pharmacies in Great Britain, added weight loss medicines to the list of higher risk medicines. From then, a prescriber supplying one has to independently verify a person’s weight, height and BMI, rather than rely on what they type into an online questionnaire. The regulator was clear that a questionnaire on its own is not enough, and that a phone call does not count. Pharmacies are now inspected against this, and failing to check is recorded as a failing.

What a proper check looks like

There is more than one accepted way to do it, so a good provider will use one of these:

  • A video consultation, where the prescriber can see you.
  • A photo or video with identification, confirming it is really you and your build.
  • Contacting your GP or another healthcare provider to confirm your measurements and history.

Any of these taking a few extra minutes is a sign the provider is doing its job, not putting an obstacle in your way.

Why it protects you

The check is there for real reasons. It confirms you are actually eligible, so you are not prescribed a medicine below the BMI it is licensed for. It gives the prescriber a chance to catch conditions and other medicines that would make it unsafe. And it stops the medicine being sold to someone buying for another person, or to someone who should not be taking it. A service that cannot see you and cannot confirm your measurements cannot do any of that.

If a provider skips the checks

The flip side is simple: a provider that sells you a weight loss medicine after a few tick boxes, with no video, no ID and no contact with your GP, is not following the rules. That is a warning sign, not convenience.

Common questions

Why do they need a photo or video of me?
To confirm it is really you and to check your weight and build independently, rather than take your word from a form. Since February 2025 the GPhC requires a prescriber to verify your weight, height and BMI independently before supplying a weight loss medicine. A photo or video with identification is one accepted way to do that.
Can't I just fill in a questionnaire?
Not on its own. The rules say a questionnaire alone is not enough, and a phone call is not accepted either. The prescriber has to verify your measurements independently, through a video consultation, a photo or video with ID, or by contacting your GP.
They asked to contact my GP. Is that normal?
Yes, and it is a good sign. Contacting your GP is one of the accepted ways to confirm your history and measurements, and it means the service is joining up your care rather than prescribing blind.
A website sold me it with no checks at all. Is that allowed?
No. A provider that sells a weight loss medicine after a few tick boxes, with no real assessment, is not following the rules. That is a warning sign. Read how to spot an illegal seller, and check any provider on the register before you buy.

Sources

This explains the rules in general terms as of 3 November 2026. It is not legal or medical advice.