Fake Ozempic sent several people to hospital, health agency warns

Austrian health authorities are the latest to warn the public to stay away from unreliable sources of semaglutide, the active ingredient in popular weight loss drugs Wegovy and Ozempic, following recent reports of side effects serious problems linked to counterfeit products. Residents have reportedly been hospitalized with dangerously low blood sugar and seizures after taking the drugs, which may actually contain insulin.

The Federal Office for Healthcare Security (BASG) in Austria issued its first warning about Ozempic counterfeiting in mid-October, after authorities seized some reserves. At the time, the agency was unsure whether these products were actually being sold in the country, rather than intended for distribution elsewhere in the European Union. The BASG has since updated his warning to confirm that residents are taking these medications, and that some appear to have suffered seriously from them.

According to the BASG, there were several initial reports of people being hospitalized after taking suspected counterfeit Ozempic. The most serious adverse reactions documented during these hospitalizations were hypoglycemia and seizures, leading officials to speculate that some of these products are filled with insulin rather than semaglutide. The two symptoms are known and potentially fatal complications of an insulin overdose.

In this case, the pre-filled pens probably came from a source other than a pharmacy, BASG writes in its warning. Depending on the current status of the investigation, stocks from the batch concerned may still be in circulation or may have been obtained by other doctors via this illegal channel.

Semaglutide and similar drugs are synthetic versions of hormones that help regulate our hunger and metabolism. This class of drugs has been used for more than a decade to help manage blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes, but more recently some of them have been adapted to treatments for obesity. really much more effective than older obesity medications.

So far, these medications appear generally safe and tolerable, although people typically experience gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea and vomiting while taking them. Recent research on semaglutide in particular has also shown that it may help reduce the risk of future heart And kidney disease in obese patients vulnerable to these conditions. But data on their long-term safety when used for obesity is still being collected, which is important because it is expected that many patients will need to take them for life to maintain their weight loss. weight.

Their appearance also had other consequences. Only Wegovy is approved in the United States and other countries for the treatment of obesity, but doctors have also begun prescribing Ozempic off-label for the treatment of obesity. The rapid popularity of semaglutide and unexpected production problems led to persistent shortages of both drugs, which has impacted the care of diabetic patients taking Ozempic for its approved use. And a similar situation occurs with Eli Lillys Mounjaro, currently approved only for type 2 diabetes.

These shortages, coupled with the high list prices of these drugs (Wegovy can cost more than $1,000 per month without insurance coverage, which is often not granted), have made the products counterfeit and composed versions These medications represent a more attractive option for some patients, one that undoubtedly carries legal and health risks.

The BASG would like to point out that Ozempic is a prescription-only medicine. It is therefore not possible to order them on the Internet, where only over-the-counter medicines can be legally obtained, the BASG stressed in its latest warning. Any order of Ozempic on the Internet is therefore not only illegal and illegal, but also carries a very high probability of obtaining a counterfeit Ozempic product.

These counterfeits can be hazardous to health and potentially fatal due to untested quality and potential impurities and unknown ingredients, the agency added.