The World Health Organisation (WHO) has issued a global alert regarding fraudulent versions of Ozempic, which have grown popular as a weight-loss method. Despite its primary purpose as a type 2 diabetes treatment, the drug is sometimes referred to as a “skinny jab”.
According to the WHO, fake medicines may endanger people’s health. The organisation advised people to obtain the drug only from reputable sources, such as a doctor, rather than obscure websites or social media platforms.
Ozempic’s active ingredient, semaglutide, helps people with type 2 diabetes control their blood sugar levels.
However, the weekly injection sends a signal to the brain that we are full. So the drug aids in weight loss by suppressing the desire to eat. People who do not have diabetes have been using the drug to lose weight.
It has resulted in shortages for people with type 2 diabetes and created a market for counterfeit medications. Since 2022, the WHO has been tracking increasing reports of dodgy Ozempics around the world. Authorities in the UK, the US, and Brazil have seized fake batches.
“[We advise] healthcare professionals, regulatory authorities, and the public to be aware of these falsified batches of medicines,” stated Dr Yukiko Nakatani, WHO assistant director general for essential medicines and health products.
The WHO warned that some fake injections may not contain semaglutide at all, while others may contain other drugs, such as insulin, resulting in “unpredictable” results.
“These falsified products could have harmful effects on people’s health,” the agency said. In October last year, the UK drugs regulator seized a batch of fake Ozempic. They had come into the nation from legal vendors in Austria and Germany, and seemed to have authentic packaging.
Dr Alison Cave, the organisation’s chief safety officer, said: “Buying semaglutide from illegally trading online suppliers significantly increases the risk of getting a product which is either falsified or not licensed for use in the UK.”
She stated that injecting such products “may put your health at risk”.
A greater strength variant of Ozempic has been produced exclusively for weight loss and is sold as Wegovy. This is being offered at specialist weight-loss clinics on the NHS in the UK.
