Austrian health authorities have warned the public to stay away from uncertain sources of semaglutide, the active ingredient in popular weight loss drugs Wigovy and Ozempic, following recent reports of serious side effects linked to counterfeit products. . It has been reported that residents were hospitalized with dangerously low blood sugar levels and seizures after taking these drugs, which may actually have contained insulin.
Austrian Federal Agency for Medical Safety (BASG) issued The first warning about counterfeit Ozempic was issued in mid-October after authorities seized some Ozempic supplies. At the time, authorities were unsure whether these products were actually being sold in the country and not intended for distribution elsewhere in the European Union. BASG is since updated The warning is to confirm that residents are indeed taking these drugs, and some may have suffered serious injuries as a result.
According to BASG, there have been some initial reports of people being hospitalized after taking suspected counterfeit Ozempic. The most serious side effects reported in these hospitalizations were hypoglycemia and seizures, leading authorities to speculate that some of these products may be filled with insulin rather than semaglutide.Both symptoms Known, potentially life-threatening complications An overdose of insulin.
“In this case, the prefilled pen likely came from a source other than the pharmacy,” BASG wrote in the warning. “Based on the current status of the investigation, stock of the affected batches may still be in circulation or may have been obtained by other doctors through this illegal route.”
Semaglutide and similar drugs are synthetic versions of hormones that help regulate hunger and metabolism. This drug class has been used for more than a decade to help manage blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes, and more recently some of it has been applied to treat obesity. really much more effective better than past obesity drugs.
Although these drugs appear to be generally safe and well-tolerated so far, it is common to experience gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea and vomiting while taking them. Recent research on semaglutide in particular has also found that semaglutide may help reduce future risks. heart and kidney Obese patients are more susceptible to these symptoms. However, data on long-term safety when used in obesity is still being collected, and it is expected that many patients will need to take them for the rest of their lives to maintain weight loss. is important.
Their emergence has had other effects as well. Wegoby is the only drug approved to treat obesity in the U.S. and other countries, but doctors have begun prescribing Ozempic off-label for obesity as well. Due to semaglutide’s rapid popularity and unforeseen manufacturing issues, continuing shortage This has implications for the care of diabetic patients who take Ozempic for its approved uses. And a similar situation is occurring with Eli Lilly’s Mounjaro, which is currently approved only for type 2 diabetes.
These shortages, combined with the high list prices of these drugs (Wegovy can cost more than $1,000 a month without insurance coverage, and are often not covered), have led to the production of counterfeit products and drugs. I did. Combined version While these drugs are the more attractive option for some patients, this option definitely comes with legal and health risks.
“BASG would like to point out that Ozempic is a prescription-only medicine. Therefore, it cannot be ordered over the internet, where only over-the-counter medicines are legally available,” BASG said in its latest warning. ing. “Therefore, ordering Ozempic over the Internet is not only illegal, but there is a very high chance of obtaining a counterfeit Ozempic product.”
“These counterfeit products are hazardous to health and can be life-threatening due to lack of quality testing, potential impurities and unknown ingredients,” the agency added. .
