According to Bloomberg, fake Ozempics were seized by the FDA as demand for obesity drugs soared due to a shortage, and counterfeiters are taking advantage of the hype cycle.
The counterfeit versions of Novo Nordisk’s diabetic medication Ozempic have been alerted to wholesalers, retail pharmacies, medical professionals, and patients by the US Food and Drug Administration. The medication has been transformed into a widely used weight-loss medication that is sweeping Western countries.
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According to Bloomberg, the FDA confiscated thousands of Ozempic units that were discovered in the country’s medication supply network. It forbade doctors and distributors from dispensing or marketing Ozempic which was packaged with the lot number NAR0074 and the serial number 430834149057.
The FDA and Danish pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk are evaluating and analyzing the contents of the fake Ozempic.
“FDA and Novo Nordisk (manufacturer of Ozempic) are testing the seized products and do not yet have information about the drugs’ identity, quality, or safety,” the FDA warned.
Novo made notice of the discovery of fake Ozempic in warehouses outside of its approved supply chain. Patient information, pen labels, needles, and cartons were among the other counterfeit components.
“The sterility of the needles cannot be confirmed, which presents an increased risk of infection for patients who use the counterfeit products,” the FDA stated.
Novo’s medicine supply chain in North America and Europe is being overtaken by a demand-driven shortage of Ozempic and Wegovy, as counterfeiters are taking advantage of the hype cycle.