The Federal Drug Administration is warning consumers against counterfeit versions of Ozempic, a diabetes drug now widely used for weight loss.
The U.S. government has already seized thousands of units of the drug, and some products may still be available for purchase, the agency said.
The FDA has issued a warning advising wholesalers, retail pharmacies, healthcare professionals, and patients to check their products and not to distribute, use, or sell products with lot number NAR0074 and serial number 430834149057.
Health officials said the needles in the samples were also counterfeit, posing a risk of infection to patients who used them.
The drug's manufacturer, Novo Nordisk, and the FDA are examining the seized product, but information about its identity, quality and safety is not yet available, the release said.
“FDA takes reports of potential counterfeit products seriously and works closely with other federal agencies and the private sector to protect the nation's drug supply,” the agency said in a statement.
“FDA's investigation is ongoing, and FDA is working with Novo Nordisk to identify, investigate, and remove additional suspected counterfeit semaglutide injections discovered in the United States.”
The agency identified five adverse events in the confiscated products, including nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and constipation. The symptoms are not severe and are consistent with a reaction to real Ozempic.
according to analysis A report released earlier this year by Trilliant Health found that U.S. medical professionals wrote more than 9 million prescriptions for Ozempic and other diabetes and obesity drugs in the last three months of 2022.
