Rise in reports of fake weight-loss drugs linked to shortage of real thing, WHO says
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The World Health Organization (WHO) on Monday warned that global shortages last year of popular diabetes medicines that are also used for weight loss, such as Novo Nordisk’s Ozempic, had been linked to rising reports of suspected counterfeits.
The organisation said fake versions of the drugs, which belong to a class called GLP-1 agonists, are most often sold and distributed through unregulated outlets, including social media platforms, and carry serious health risks.
“Falsified medical products have been known to lack efficacy and/or cause toxic reactions,” the WHO said, adding that the drugs may have been produced in unhygienic conditions by unqualified personnel and be contaminated with bacteria.
Explosive demand for Ozempic and similar drugs that are approved for weight loss, including Eli Lilly’s Zepbound and Mounjaro and Novo’s Wegovy, has fueled a burgeoning global market for counterfeit versions.
Three people sought medical treatment for dangerously low blood sugar in the U.S. in 2023 after taking suspected fake versions of Ozempic, Reuters reported last week.
Austrian and Lebanese health authorities last year also reported that several people had suffered bouts of hypoglycemia after taking suspected fake Ozempic, some of whom were hospitalized.
