A registered doctor who worked at a weight loss clinic offered diabetes medicine Ozempic via Marktplaats with no questions asked, according to broadcaster RTL Nieuws.

A journalist posing as a client said that after paying €200, he could pick up the medication at a pharmacy the doctor had sent a prescription to. He was not told about the risks of taking the medication or asked about his medical history.

Apart from type 2 diabetes, Ozempic is used to treat obesity but it has recently become popular among people who want to lose just a few pounds. Without consultation or information prescribing the medication is “dangerous” and “reprehensible”, experts told the broadcaster.

When confronted by the journalist the doctor, whose identity was not revealed, said he had sold the medicine “for his own gain due to personal circumstances”. He claims to have prescribed the medicine “five to 10 times” and that he no longer does so.

The soaring popularity of Ozempic among dieters has made it scarce, putting type 2 diabetes sufferers at risk. The Dutch association of family doctors NHG has called on doctors to stop prescribing the medicine for obesity for that reason.

Marloes Dankers, a pharmacist and head of the responsible medicine use institute IVM, said the doctor’s actions were a “new low”. “People who take Ozempic need monitoring to see if it is the right choice for them. They may use other, incompatible medications, for instance. That is going horribly wrong here. All standards are being broken,” she said.

Doctors association KNMG said it is “unfitting that doctors offer prescriptions via online platforms such as Marktplaats”.

It is in breach of professional standards and its is essential to abide by legal rules and professional guidelines when prescribing medication to safeguard the safety and well-being of the patients”, the association said in a reaction.

According to health law professor Martin Buijsen the man would almost certain face a medical tribunal. “You cannot prescribe without seeing someone and being aware of their medical history,” he said.

A Marktplaats spokesman said it will tighten its rules to stop similar ads appearing in the future.