Fake Ozempic now widespread, authorities say, after tricked users landed in hospital

Health

By André Cour

Watch out for fake Zempics.

Health authorities are warning of a drastic increase in the number of fraudulent Ozempic pens after several people in Austria were hospitalized for injecting a pseudo-substance.

Patients suffered hypoglycemia and seizures, indicating that the pens contained insulin instead of the active ingredient semaglutide Ozempics.

It is unclear whether users obtained these questionable drugs from a licensed medical provider or sought them through the black market.

In recent months, Ozempic has become the most popular prescription on the market, favored by A-Li and presented as a quick solution to lose excess pounds.

The drug, originally designed for people with type 2 diabetes, is now in short supply in many markets around the world, allowing criminals to break in.

It appears that this shortage is being exploited by criminal organizations to market counterfeit Ozempic, Austrian health safety regulator BASG said in a statement on Monday.

This comes just weeks after it was reported that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) was investigating numerous fraudulent schemes to traffic counterfeit Ozempic in the United States.

According to Reuters, the Austrian BASG did not provide the exact number of people affected by the fake Ozempic, nor the duration of the harmful effects on their health.

On Tuesday, the European Union’s medicines verification system, which carries out digital monitoring of medicines dispensed by pharmacists, said no counterfeits had appeared in retail pharmacies in Austria.

However, the European Medicines Agency, together with German and British authorities, are currently investigating a case in which fake injector pens with German labels and packaged in genuine Ozempic packaging were sold by an Austrian wholesaler to Germany , then from there to two British wholesalers.

Other countries, including the United States, are also trying to crack down on Ozempic scammers.

In May, the Australian government revealed that it had also discovered illegal imports of fake Ozempic into the country.

Last summer, it was reported that a counterfeit version of the drug was found on the shelves of a US pharmacy, the name of which has not been made public.

This revelation prompted Novo Nordisk, the Danish manufacturer of Ozempic, to publish photos of the fake pens and cartons.

The counterfeit product appears to contain a different type of diabetes medication, injectable insulin glargine, which works differently than Ozempic, the company said in an accompanying statement, according to CBS News.

Meanwhile, the FDA has warned against using off-brand semaglutide, urging consumers to stick to major brands, such as Ozempic and its sister drug, Wegovy.

However, the shortage of these drugs is causing some New York City residents to seek out dubious imitations.

A Manhattan fashion executive recently told the Post that she is currently taking off-brand semaglutide in hopes that it will help her lose excess baby weight.

But even taking the brand name Ozempic as prescribed by a doctor is not without risks.

Earlier this year, an emergency doctortook to Twitter to write:The number of people presenting to the emergency room for side effects of Ozempic. Diarrhea. Nausea. Bloating.

Meanwhile, other doctors have sounded the alarm over other side effects, including blurred vision, kidney failure and gallstones.