WHAT WAS CLAIMED
NZ's medical devices regulator has approved a weight loss patch.
OUR VERDICT
False. Medsafe denies it has approved the patch and there is no evidence the company behind it is based in New Zealand.
AAP FACTCHECK - A Facebook page promoting weight loss products is falsely claiming a supposedly New Zealand-made patch has been approved by the country's regulators.
The company, which appears to have no links to NZ, is incorrectly implying support from the NZ government as well as Diabetes Australia.
A Facebook post shares an almost 15-minute video that includes what appears to be a testimonial from a woman who lost a large amount of weight using a patch.
"I've struggled with being overweight for years," the caption reads, continuing: "After chatting with my GP here in Auckland, she suggested I try this natural support solution."
A comment underneath the post advertises a "breakthrough nanotech innovation: painless Niddk-Trizepatide [sic] patch", with further comments claiming it is made by a company called HHVB.
The caption reads: "Made in New Zealand | Medsafe certified | Notice visible results in just 7 days".
Medsafe is the Medicines and Medical Devices Safety Authority, part of the NZ Ministry of Health and responsible for regulating medicines.
However, tirzepatide - a medication used to treat type two diabetes and weight loss in certain conditions - is not currently approved for use in New Zealand in any form, a Medsafe spokesperson told AAP FactCheck.
It's part of a classification of medications known as GIP and GLP-1 receptor agonists, which work to emulate hormones that trigger insulin release and suppress appetite.
Medsafe has received an application for approval of tirzepatide - better known under the brand name Mounjaro - but as the injectable form of the drug only, not as a patch.
"This application is being assessed for evidence the medicine meets the required standards for safety, quality and effectiveness," the spokesperson said.
There's no evidence the company spruiking these patches online has any link to NZ or that the product is made there.
The Facebook page sharing the false post claims to represent "a medical team with over 20 years experience in plastic surgery and diabetes management".
The phone contact details go through to Diabetes Australia, and another post on the page uses photos from events featured on the legitimate Diabetes Australia Facebook page.
A spokesperson for Diabetes Australia said the organisation has nothing to do with the page making the false claim or its posts.
"Diabetes Australia is not involved and does not endorse the weight loss patch promotion presented on Facebook."
A link on the false Facebook post leads to an online store that misleadingly displays the Medsafe and NZ Ministry of Health logos plus the words "Made in New Zealand".
AAP FactCheck undertook a domain search on the site that revealed the registered contact to be in Arizona, US.
Multiple advertisements for "HHVB GLP-1 health boost drops" appear online and there is a website selling various supplements claiming to cause weight loss under the HHVB name, but no indication it's based in NZ.
A search in the NZ Companies Office register also finds no company named HHVB.
There is a trademark application for HHVB in the US.
NBC News has reported little evidence GLP-1 supplements - as opposed to medications - are effective for weight loss.
A Google Image search shows the footage of a woman featured at the start of the Facebook video has also been used on numerous other weight loss sites on social media for some time, while the image of a man in the page's profile photo appears to be taken from the website of a German business consultant.
The Medsafe spokesperson warned consumers to be wary of what they see online.
"Medsafe continues to warn that ordering medicines over the internet is risky … prescription medicines should only be obtained when an authorised prescriber in New Zealand has care of the patient."
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