FDA Warns Against ‘Thousands’ of Units of Fake Ozempic

These trying to slim down earlier than the New Year may wish to heed an vital warning.

On Thursday, the FDA said that it had seized “hundreds of items” of counterfeit Ozempic, a semaglutide injectable used as a weight reduction drug, which have made their solution to pharmacies and suppliers.

The company says that 5 individuals have been affected by the counterfeit medicine thus far however that their circumstances haven’t been severe, and their signs are “per recognized frequent opposed reactions” to genuine Ozempic, together with nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.

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The FDA warned that not solely is the Ozempic substance itself counterfeit, however the drug data, label, carton and needle used for the injection are additionally counterfeit, noting that there is no solution to verify that the needles are sterile.

Sufferers and pharmacies are inspired to buy the substance solely by means of distributors licensed by Novo Nordisk, Ozempic’s producer.

“FDA takes stories of attainable counterfeit merchandise significantly and works carefully with different federal companies and the non-public sector to assist shield the nation’s drug provide,” the company wrote in a release. “FDA’s investigation is ongoing, and the company is working with Novo Nordisk to establish, examine, and take away additional suspected counterfeit semaglutide injectable merchandise discovered within the U.S.”

In June, Novo Nordisk filed lawsuits towards 5 med spas and wellness clinics in 4 U.S. states for allegedly promoting counterfeit Ozempic and Wegovy, one other weight reduction drug.

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“Our precedence is to make sure that sufferers have a secure and optimistic expertise with our FDA-approved semaglutide medicines, and these actions are a direct reflection of that focus,” Doug Langa, president of Novo Nordisk, stated in a company release on the time. “We consider it is vital to offer further instruments and training to assist the right use of our accepted semaglutide merchandise and create broad public consciousness concerning the distinction between our FDA-approved medicines and different merchandise being labeled as semaglutide.”

Those that consider they could have been offered counterfeit remedy are inspired to report it to the FDA here.