The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Thursday that counterfeit versions of Novo Nordisk’s diabetes drug Ozempic, which can be used to lose weight, are being sold amid a surge in demand.
The group said three batches of counterfeit goods were discovered in Brazil and Britain in October last year and in the United States in December.
The global health agency has been monitoring an increase in reports of falsified semaglutide, known by the generic name Ozempic, since 2022, but this is the first time it has issued an official warning.
Counterfeit products can be harmful to patients’ health because they do not contain the correct ingredients and in some cases may contain other medicines, such as insulin, that can be dangerous if taken by mistake, the WHO said.
Ozempic is a diabetes treatment, and semaglutide is sold under the brand name Wegovy as an obesity treatment.
There is growing concern about counterfeit weight loss pills, and demand for the drugs has led to a growing grey market.
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In the United States, drug shortages mean that regulations allow compounding pharmacies to sell counterfeit versions of drugs.
Novo and its US rival Eli Lilly are trying to draw connections between compounded drugs and the possibility of outright counterfeiting.
Lilly said Thursday that some of its compounded drugs contained different chemicals than those in drugs approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
The WHO said patients should avoid “unfamiliar or unverified sources of information, such as those found on the internet”.
Last updated: June 21, 2024 7:50 AM
