Recent studies reveal a surge in legitimate sales of Ozempic, a diabetes/weight-loss drug, while counterfeit versions pose health risks.
Two new studies highlight the increasing demand for both legitimate and counterfeit forms of the diabetes/weight-loss drug Ozempic.
One study found that U.S. prescriptions for Ozempic and its weight-loss cousin, Wegovy, have soared in recent years, leading to shortages of both drugs.
Consumers who cannot find or afford these drugs are turning to illegal online vendors, with many counterfeit products being contaminated or containing dangerous doses of the drug.
Researchers found that a significant number of online pharmacies offering semaglutide were illegal operations, with some engaging in fraudulent activities such as nondelivery scams.
The illicit online pharmacies selling unsafe versions of semaglutide pose a significant risk to consumers, potentially leading to illnesses and overdoses.
Two recent studies have revealed a significant increase in the demand for both legitimate and counterfeit versions of the diabetes/weight-loss drug Ozempic. The first study highlighted a steep rise in the sales of Ozempic and its weight-loss counterpart Wegovy in the United States over the past three years, leading to shortages of these medications. The second study found that due to the high cost of these drugs, consumers are turning to illegal online vendors to obtain them, which poses serious health risks as many counterfeit products were found to be contaminated or contained dangerous doses of the drug.
Researchers from the University of California, San Diego conducted online searches that identified numerous illegal online pharmacies offering semaglutide, with some products not meeting safety and purity standards. These counterfeit drugs not only had questionable labeling and licensing issues but also contained lower purity levels of the active ingredient, semaglutide. This can lead to potential illnesses and overdoses as reported by a significant increase in calls to U.S. poison centers related to semaglutide. The study concluded that these illicit online pharmacies are a consumer risk and highlighted the dangers of obtaining medications from unlicensed sources.
