Health authorities and Spanish police are cracking down on the illegal sale of the weight-loss drug Ozempic in outlets such as beauty salons and health clinics.
Cosmetic clinics and private sellers charge patients up to 800 euros a month for the injectable, which is available only with a prescription and was originally developed to treat diabetes.
The drug’s weight loss benefits and celebrity endorsement have led to a surge in demand, causing shortages both at home and abroad.
Clinics in Kildare, North Wicklow and South Dublin are under investigation for selling these products.
Raids were carried out on hair salons and other outlets to ensure the medicine was available to those most in need.
of Therapeutic Goods Regulatory Authority (HPRA) And that HSE and Police Officer We are trying to prevent the importation of these medicines into Ireland but demand is so high that untested medicines are being used by individuals without a prescription.
A spokesman said: “The HPRA works closely with An Garda Síochana and National Tax Agency Customs Bureau.
“There is continuing significant collaboration between agencies to combat the illicit supply of health products in and around Ireland,” she said.
“The HPRA also cooperates and shares information with other regulators and law enforcement agencies in Europe and around the world to prevent the illegal manufacturing, import and distribution of medicines, medical devices and cosmetic products. We cannot comment on ongoing investigations.”
Professor Donal O’Shea, the HSE’s clinical lead for obesity, said the treatment had been “hijacked” by the cosmetics industry.
Prof O’Shea said he had heard directly from people who had bought the drug from hairdressers and similar shops.
In many cases, the drug is not suitable for them to use, he said.
He warned people seeking Ozempic that they must agree to long-term use if they want the drug to be effective for a long time.
He said: “A lot of people tell me that a lot of their friends are in the program and that if they’re not, they’re trying to get in. But unless you’re in the program your whole life, it’s not going to work.”
The public are now being offered “care packages” which include weekly injections and what is known as “aftercare”, where unqualified people advise patients on the best way to lose weight whilst taking the medicine.
Regarding the selling of “care packages”, Professor O’Shea added: “What happens often when companies are trying to exploit patients is they package up the treatment a patient really wants, and that package ends up being significantly more expensive than the cost of the treatment.”
“It preys on people’s low self-esteem and their obsession with thin culture, and it’s really sad.”
“This is standard behavior for a company of this type that specializes in cosmetics.”
“Doctors often perform cheap, simple tests, such as taking blood pressure, that are not actually part of treatment.”
Prof O’Shea added: “It is shocking that an obesity treatment has been hijacked by the cosmetics industry to the level of abuse it is leading to.”
Hundreds of units of counterfeit semaglutide (the active ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovi) are threatening to enter the black market in the region.
Regulators such as the Health Products Regulatory Agency (HPRA) are concerned that these counterfeit products are being distributed in large quantities by online sellers to customers.
We found a number of Irish and UK websites selling Ozempic.
Ozempic, made by Novo Nordisk, contains semaglutide, the first of a new generation of anti-obesity drugs that mimic the hormone GLP-1 to suppress appetite.
It was originally used to treat type 2 diabetes but was later repurposed as a weight loss drug given in higher doses.
However, scammers and bad actors have seen the potential to make money from demand for the drug: in 2023, 169 websites, e-commerce sites and social media pages promoting or supplying semaglutide were removed or amended by the HPRA, with a further 144 pages having been removed so far in 2024.
Figures released by the HPRA show 656 counterfeit versions of the drug were seized in the first five months of this year.
Unscrupulous operators are selling drugs at discounted prices without a prescription, and some will even offer cheaper prices if customers use cryptocurrency.
