- Shortages of the diet drug Ozempic have led people to purchase counterfeit versions online.
- The UK medicines regulator has issued a warning against purchasing fake Ozempic drugs.
Individuals desperate to obtain a new ‘miracle’ drug for weight loss are risking their health by purchasing counterfeit versions online.
There has been a significant increase in demand for the diabetes medication Ozempic since it was discovered that its key ingredient, semaglutide, can lead to significant weight loss.
However, due to a global shortage of the drug, people are resorting to buying it from unofficial websites, prompting the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) to issue a warning that these purchases put people’s health at risk.
Ozempic is available through the UK’s National Health Service (NHS) for managing blood glucose levels in individuals with type 2 diabetes.
Although it has been approved for weight loss under the brand name Wegovy, it has not yet been launched in the UK due to supply issues.
The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) warned Brits against buying fake Ozempic on the internet
The delay has resulted in an increase in ‘off-label’ prescribing, where medications are used for purposes other than their intended use. As a response, officials have issued a national patient safety alert, advising healthcare providers against prescribing the drug for obesity.
Individuals are now turning to social media sites such as TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram to find Ozempic and other weight-loss drugs through user-placed advertisements.
One patient, identified as Danielle, reported feeling unwell after injecting herself with what she believed to be Ozempic but attributed the symptoms to unpleasant side effects. She and a friend purchased injection pens from a social media approached seller but now suspect they received insulin instead.
‘It woke me up and my heart was beating so fast I honestly thought I was going to have a heart attack,’ she told The Times.
‘That obviously scared me and I honestly felt like I was going to die.’
Ozempic’s manufacturer Novo Nordisk said it is in ‘close dialogue’ with local health authorities to prevent fake versions of the drug being sold
An MHRA spokeswoman stated that purchasing Ozempic or any other medicinal product from illegal online suppliers significantly increases the risk of receiving a falsified or unlicensed product. Buying from illegal suppliers means there are no guarantees that the products meet quality and safety standards, and taking such medicines may endanger one’s health. The MHRA encourages individuals who suspect an adverse reaction or have concerns about the safety, effectiveness, or authenticity of Ozempic or any other medicinal product to report it through their Yellow Card scheme.
A spokesperson for Novo Nordisk, the producer of Ozempic, emphasized that patient safety is a top priority and that they are in close communication with all relevant stakeholders and local health authorities to protect patients from counterfeit products.
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