Food and Drug Administration on Monday I encouraged patients and doctors to check Ozempic prescriptions It’s legal after the agency seized hundreds of fake versions of diabetes medication in the US
Novo Nordisk, the manufacturer of Ozempic and weight loss drug Wegovy, told the FDA on April 3 that the counterfeit 1 milligram injections were being distributed outside the US certified supply chain, the agency said in a news release. This means that they may have entered the market through informal means, such as fraudulent distributors and resellers.
The FDA said it seized a counterfeit product labeled with lot number PAR0362 and serial number starting with the first eight digits 51746517 on April 9th.
The agency said it was aware of six adverse event reports linked to the lot, but none of them appears to be associated with counterfeit products. The agency and Novo Nordisk have tested fake products to determine whether they are safe or not. It is not clear whether the adverse event was caused by typical use, as genuine ozempics can have side effects, including stomach problems.
The fake version highlights the rising popularity and demand for the ozenpic of diabetes drugs commonly used for GLP-1 drugs “unlabeled” and similar for weight loss.
In December 2023, the agency said it seized thousands of fake Ozempics and warned that some people might still be able to buy them.
Fake products differ from the combined version of drugs that are becoming increasingly popular throughout the US
The FDA allows for complex versions that are “essentially copies” of over-the-counter drugs under special circumstances such as shortages.
In February, the agency said the shortage of Ozempic and Wegovi in the US was resolved and effectively ended the sale of cheaper combined versions of the drug.
