Image source, Getty Images
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has issued a global warning about counterfeit versions of Ozempic, a popular weight loss treatment.
The drug is sometimes referred to as a “skinny jab” even though its primary purpose is to treat type 2 diabetes.
The WHO said counterfeit medicines could pose a risk to health.
The group advised people to only obtain medicines from trusted sources such as doctors, and not from unknown sites online or on social media.
Semaglutide, the active ingredient in Ozempic, helps control blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes.
But the weekly injections send a signal to the brain that you’re full, meaning the drug can help you lose weight by reducing your desire to eat.
People who don’t have diabetes also get the drug as a weight loss aid.
This has led to medicine shortages for people with type 2 diabetes and has created a market for counterfeit medicines.
The WHO said it has been tracking an increase in reports of misuse of Ozempic around the world since 2022.
Counterfeit goods have been seized by authorities in the UK, the US and Brazil.
Health risks
“[We advise] “Health care workers, regulators and the public need to be wary of these falsified medicine batches,” said Dr Yukiko Nakatani, WHO Assistant Director-General for Essential Medicines and Health Products.
The WHO warned that some of the counterfeit injections may not contain semaglutide at all, or may contain other drugs such as insulin, which could have “unpredictable” effects.
“These counterfeit products can have harmful effects on people’s health,” the WHO said.
These had been brought into the country from legitimate suppliers in Austria and Germany and appeared to be in authentic packaging.
Dr Alison Cave, the organisation’s chief safety officer, said: “Buying semaglutide from an online supplier trading illegally significantly increases the risk of obtaining a product that is counterfeit or not approved for use in the UK.”
She said injecting such products “can pose a risk to one’s health.”
A stronger version of Ozempic has been developed specifically for weight loss and is marketed as Wegovy.
It is offered by specialist NHS weight loss clinics in the UK.
