Some companies have seen the success of weight loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy and created their own copy versions. But experts say these drugs may not be safe.
Ozempic, Wegovy, and similar drugs have been in short supply over the past year due to increased demand.
For those who manage to find it, the drug is not cheap. Without insurance it usually costs him more than $1,000 a month.
Due to high costs and nationwide shortages, many are relying on knock-offs.
According to Kaly.com, searches for “Ozempic dupe” have surged 373% in the past year, and #Ozempic has garnered 1.3 billion views on social media platforms like TikTok.
Some pharmacies, which mix and modify drug ingredients to create custom medicines for patients, offer counterfeit injections at a fraction of the cost. A one-month supply costs about $100 to $200, but the Food and Drug Administration has not approved the drug.
The FDA tells News4 it monitors the internet for fraudulent and unapproved products and has issued warning letters to pharmacies to stop distribution of illegal sales of semaglutide, the active ingredient in Wigovy and Ozempic. .
“No one knows exactly what it is, and no one knows where it comes from, so it's actually It's quite dangerous.”
Rubino said copycat versions of semaglutide are often mixed with untested vitamins and other ingredients and may be unsafe.
Regulatory authorities are also sounding the alarm. The four states are West Virginia, Louisiana, Mississippi, and North Carolina. Threatening legal action due to safety concernsstates that it is nearly impossible for compounding pharmacies to replicate weight loss drugs on the market.
That's because there are no FDA-approved generic versions of Wegovy or Ozempic, and drugmaker Novo Nordisk said it does not supply its ingredients to other companies.
“You have to understand that there is a desperate situation out there,” Rubino said.
Despite the risks, News4 found dozens of companies selling semaglutide on social media platforms, some promising next-day delivery of vials containing the liquid that patients are instructed to inject weekly. There were also companies that did.
Some websites also offer telemedicine visits, where you can receive your medication by video or without meeting your health care provider in person.
“This is a health issue. It's not about losing weight. It's not about looking good in a designer dress. I can't stress this enough,” Rubinio said.
Patients considering taking weight loss medications should always consult their doctor or health care provider.
Doctors said it's also important for people to do their research before taking the drug and understand potential side effects, such as nausea and vomiting, vision changes and kidney problems. In severe cases, Ozempic and Wigoby can cause intestinal obstruction, according to the drug's warning label.
