Fake Ozempic pens contain insulin, worrying health officials

TAMPA, Florida. You have probably already heard of the drug Ozempic, used to treat diabetes. But along the way, doctors discovered that it also helped patients lose weight by reducing their cravings.

This drug, in high demand, is causing supply shortages around the world. Now, there’s a new warning from the FDA regarding the popular drug.

Health authorities are now increasingly concerned about fake Ozempic pens after several people in Austria were hospitalized after injecting themselves with a counterfeit version of the drug.

Fake versions were also discovered on the shelves of an American pharmacy. The fake version contains insulin.

Insulin in a person who doesn’t have high blood sugar and isn’t diabetic is literally life threatening, you can kill someone by giving them insulin, and it’s is really, really disturbing, said Dr. Jill Waggoner, a board-certified family medicine specialist. doctor.

ABC Action News anchor Paul LaGrone asked Dr. Waggoner, “We’re seeing reports that there is now this underground market, a fake Ozempic that has been put out there.” Is this worrying?

She replied: It’s very worrying, really scary to think about.

Dr. Wagoner highlights a mistaken view that obesity is a personality defect and not a serious illness. This problem is amplified in a results-oriented society, which often lacks patience and seeks a quick solution.

That’s why people go to a medical spa and let someone inject them with something because they don’t consider it a medical problem. So that’s the real problem, Dr. Wagoner said.

LaGrone then asked: How do people protect themselves then when it comes to buying the right product and not getting scammed or buying something that puts their life at risk?

You should never get anything on prescription unless you get it from a health care provider, Dr. Wagoner explained.

Rashita Lee is a nurse in Tampa. Like many others, she had a conversation about Ozempic and still has questions.

This was actually introduced to me by one of my doctors before, but I like to let things play out on their own, Lee said.

She continued: I try to cycle to keep up with my fitness. So, do whatever you can do without resorting to drugs first.

Dr. Wagoner warns that there are some side effects from taking Ozempic. They include nausea and abdominal pain. In severe cases, even paralysis of the gastrointestinal tract.

She said that for people struggling with life-threatening obesity, the alternative is just as dangerous.

We really need to have a conversation where we put things in real terms and look at the benefits as well as the risks, Dr. Wagoner said.

LaGrone asked: Is it sustainable for someone to inject Ozempic for years and years?

She replied, “Well, diabetics have been using it for years. So we have some context and some data to look at what happens when it’s used for years. The difference is that in most diabetics, they are not expected to go away. It was therefore not a short-term treatment. This was to be part of the long-term treatment. »

Currently, researchers and doctors do not yet have enough data to determine what would happen when a person stopped taking this medication.

But one thing is clear: if you are going to try it, consult a doctor first and do not buy it on the Internet.

I think it’s a bad idea. If you go to a website and someone tells you that, we have a doctor who will write it for you. Don’t worry. This is professional misconduct. It’s not a good medicine, Dr. Wagoner said.

Here’s what experts say you should look for when trying to spot a fake Ozempic pen:

• The label affixed to counterfeit packaging could be of poor quality.
• It may not include tamper evident perforation.
• Look for the lot number. The lot number printed on fake Ozempic boxes may not match the concentration of the product listed on the box and pen.